A Midsummer's Dream
by xXShy-YuukiXx
Summary: Pregnant and without anyone to help her out, Sakura tries to rebuild her life again in Konoha. Her friends are there to help but she still wants Gaara back. Add Sasuke and some crazy assasins, what do you get? Sequal to A Midnight Stroll
1. Month Three: Part One

**Hey everyone well it's here the one you have all been waiting for THE SEQUEL TO **_**A MIDNIGHT STROLL**_**!!! YAY!! Isn't it awesome? Anyway here it is please review and be nice ok? **_**A Midnight Stroll**_** was my first real story, which would make this my second. I'm so glad so many people liked it and for all those who didn't really like it, you still gave me a lot of useful tips that I will use. I also looked up some GaaraxSakura stories that concerned her having a child or her getting pregnant, just to get some inspiration and some sense where I really wanted to take this story and well I found it. Anyway on with the story!! ^_~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the character! IF I did I would already have Kakashi, Gaara and Kiba in my bed, closet, and shower! Maybe even cooking me a sexy breakfast! ///!!! Great, now I'm hungry! That's a lot! **

**-Yuuki**

_Sakura Thought_

_**Sakumo Thought**_

* * *

**A Midsummer's Dream **

**Chapter 1 – Month Three: Part One – Starting Again**

It was around eleven am when I told Hinata and Ino I had a break. The medicine I had taken to make my baby, as well as my stomach, shrink in size, was finally starting to slowly wear off. I was still very much hurting and sore from all my various injuries but once my chakra pretty regenerated early this morning, Ino, Mizsuki, and I started to heal any and every thing on me. My injuries were more minor now and I wasn't in so much pain but physical pain wasn't the only thing causing weakened state.

Everything was still replaying itself in my mind, over and over again.

The plan was working so beautifully, but did I really want it to go that well?

Did I really want to lose Gaara forever and hurt him so?

When Ino was giving me the drug my Tsunade-sama, my adoptive mother, had given her to make my baby tighten up, giving the appearance that I was a few weeks pregnant instead of the soon to be three months.

**{A/N: Ok from here on out, it will be like a flashback but she is saying it as if it's a story.}**

After the medicine had taken its appropriate affects, Hinata, Ino and I, had headed out to battle. The bands of rouge shinobi were headed for Suna and we were in the front line of defense. We were ready and prepared for anything.

Except for what we saw once the attack started.

The bands of rouge shinobi were more like a few small armies and they were well equipped to take over the village if we were to let them. But we did nothing but fight them off the best we could. And we were doing well, until around the end of the battle, when all three of us were weak, tired and about to give. I didn't even notice the shinobi get past out block aid. He came upon me so fast. He was not a part of the plan.

He came from behind, faster than my eyes could catch, faster then even Hinata's Byakugan could see in time. The shinobi grabbed me by my hair and lifted me into the air so only the tips of my toes were able to touch the ground. Then, before anyone could react, he ran me through with the blade of his katana. I could feel it hit and nick some of my major organs and I tried to send my chakra down to stop all the internal bleeding but I was too weak. My chakra was almost completely gone.

I thought I was down for the battle, but then he pushed his blade further into me, making it pierce through my womb, my baby's home, and come out of my abdomen. I saw the hot tears blur my vision as Sakumo screamed in pain for the baby and myself.

My blood flowed down my belly and legs as well as out my mouth. The baby, my baby, I could feel its chakra slowly drain to nothing. It was dying inside of me.

I'd be damned if I didn't do any and everything to make sure that didn't happen.

I didn't something I never knew I could do - I merged myself with Sakumo.

Even though we were both the same person and living in the same body, we were completely different beings. We had different chakra, minds, personalities but we both loved this baby already. Without thinking, I let her out but I was still semi in control of my body. I had never felt this before. It was like seeing everything but having someone else move for you but… you are the one moving. It was… powerful.

My sight was the one thing I could tell had changed deistically. I saw what Sakumo saw as well as what I saw. I could tell my pupils had either dilated or disappeared because everything was brighter, clearer, and more defined.

The new chakra within me pulsed through my veins, down to my baby to make sure of its well being. I took a deep breath and even the air tasted different.

It was time to act.

I used the katana still within me to flip the bastard who dared to harm my baby over my head. Before he could meet the ground, I was above him, with speed I didn't know I had. I pumped as much chakra as I could into my fist and punch as hard as I could.

My fist connected and went through his chest and his blood splattered onto my already dirt and sweat covered body. I didn't care one bit.

"It's time this came to an end," Sakumo and I both said with an eerie voice I had never heard before. We took a few steps as and turned to face Ino and Hinata, waving for them to get back. Pumping another wave a chakra through my fists, I stabbed my hand into the sand, causing it to crack down to the dried ground beneath.

The enemy shinobi in front of me tumbled to the ground, caught in between the cracks. They were trapped and could never get out. I could see what we, Sakumo and I, had planned and then were forming… a jutsu I didn't know we knew. I slammed my hand into the ground after a few quick hand signs. The ground shook and began to swallow the men up. I turned my hand and the several screams suddenly stopped.

The sand began to soak with blood and Sakumo fell back into the depths of my mind, exhausted. Before I could stop myself, I fell with her, my legs giving out at the loss of my chakra and strength. I blacked out and didn't wake until two hours later.

When I did come to, Ino and Hinata were sitting next to me, their eyes clouded with tears. I tried to sit up but my body screamed in pain and protest. I hit the supposed to be soft white covered mattress with a small 'thud'. I bit my dried, cracked lips to keep the tears and groan of pain away.

Ino helped me turn on my side and I took a good look at myself.

I was a wreck. There were bandages all over my body. My skin was pulling tightly at my hands and feet. I could feel the broken bones in my body start to mend as my chakra started to restore its self and instantly disappear, healing a little bit of whatever was most needed to heal. My lips pealed with the slightest movement and everything just wanted to give up.

If I was this bad then what about,

"The baby," I whispered as the tears I had fought to keep back sprang free. I looked up into Ino usually crystal clear blue eyes, now turned dark and dull. Her tears came heavier and I could hear Hinata's sobs break out behind me. I reached out and grabbed Ino's wrist as firm as I could. She could have broken my hold easily but she didn't.

Ino just sat there, tears flowing down her rosy cheeks. Her shaking form back to lower towards me and she leaned her forehead against mine lightly. Ino searched my eyes for what seemed like forever before she looked over my shoulder to Hinata. The pressure from Hinata putting her hand on my back came like a heavy iron fist.

"Sakura," Ino began as she kept looking between Hinata and I, "the medicine worked… too well. The baby almost died before we even began the fight. His heart rate was decreased, like the medicine was supposed to, but when you started to use up so much chakra, the baby couldn't take it. And then, as if soaking a match in lighter fluid and lighting it as you threw it into a huge pile of gun powder, you went into that… weird stage. You used all your chakra, including chakra you didn't even have and I don't know where you got it from but it literally tried to deep fry the baby."

Ino was crying heavier now and Hinata was shaking the bed, she was crying so hard. But I couldn't. I couldn't feel anything. Numb. Hinata spoke up then.

"Sakura, for two minutes and twenty-six seconds, the baby and yourself were dead. Thanks to your well trained doctor staff here, we were able to bring you back… barely, but the baby..."

"The baby is hanging by a thread," Ino interrupted her. She looked almost angry as she continued, "Sakura that baby is so weak that… if you do one wrong move, it will die. Die Sakura, do you understand? D-I-E!"

The bed began to shake and I tried to hold on to Ino to make it stop but I realized it was me that was shaking.

"The baby is still here," I hoarsely whispered through my tears as Ino stroked my hair and kissed my cheek.

"Yes but barely. We have to do some more test and surgeries on you and it to make sure you're both out of immediate danger. I nodded and started to go off into thought as Temari and Kankuro entered the room.

"Sakura!" Ino yelled out, bringing me from my thoughts. She and Hinata had stopped a little more than a few yards away from me and where unpacking for lunch. We had been _walking _– not chakra enhanced running or sprinting or not even a slow jog, but walking – for about eight hours now and we stopped every hour, on the hour, for me to eat and rest and for Ino to check the baby and update it's file.

Since the next week would be critical for its development, growth, healing, and overall health, Ino and Hinata refused to let me use any chakra, they made me eat like crazy (which wasn't so bad 'cause I was really hungry) and _walk _at this unbearably slow rate. As a result, instead of getting back home in the regular three days it would take us six, twice the amount of time.

I sighed heavily as Ino began to take out the necessary equipment for my examination and Hinata took out some bento boxes along with some other chocolates and tasty snacks. As part of my punishment, Ino carried my bag telling me that putting any unnecessary weight would put the baby in danger – like I didn't already know that, duh I'm the doctor here – and she even cleaned my clothes from the battle by hand and I was now wearing them while they were still dressed in their blood crusted outfits.

I hate that they are spoiling me when they should be the one with the care. I mean yeah I gained about ten pounds in the last ten hours and my stomach was starting to swell with pregnancy and if I used my chakra, it could be fatal but they are the ones taking care of me and if they fall then so do I. I needed them to stay safe and healthy if they expected me to live through this.

I was the doctor here and I could take care of myself. I still needed help, I'll admit that, but my friends still needed their basic care. I was the medic, it was, and _still is _my job and responsibility of the well being of my team.

'_**But Ino is here, she might not be that good of a doctor, but she's still a great nurse,' **_Sakumo chimed in weakly. She hadn't spoken up since the battle and just by the sound of her voice; it was taking all her strength just to speak.

'_I know but still, I feel so helpless again. It's just like being back on team 7 again watch Sasuke and Naruto grow so strong and me…just being there to witness it instead of contributing to it'_

'_**I know but this isn't the same. It may feel like it but it's not. Now whether you and I like it or not, we can't fight anymore. We can't do the wild things we liked to do anymore, at least not for awhile. We have this little one growing in us now, and we have to be careful.'**_

'_I know it's just…'_

'_**I understand. I'm you remember?'**_

I smiled a little and sat down in the warm sand next to Ino. As she began to listen to the baby's heart beat I just watched and thought about what little he or she would look like. What I would name it. How I would decorate its room. But, more importantly —

What would I tell everyone else?

Surely Naruto would freak out and act out but after he calmed down he most likely would be the biggest help of all. Kiba would probably give me a puppy for his or her protection. Ino will buy all the clothes for it and make sure it's 'stylish'. Choji will buy all the food I need during and after I'm pregnant. Hinata and Neji will most likely train with it all the time and make sure it becomes a fine shinobi. Shikamaru…he will train it in every strategy he knows… and maybe even keep me updated on how everyone in Suna are doing.

My mom, Hokage – Tsunade, would help me raise the child. I could already picture her taking the baby to work and playing with her when she was suppose to be signing some files and assigning missions. Tsunade, mom would probably even go as far as to have her own nursery in the Hokage tower as well as at home, that if she didn't move me back in with her.

"Sakura, do you want to listen," Ino said smiling as she brought me from my thoughts again. I took the stethoscope and plugged it into my ears as the sounds of my babies heart beat softly drummed. It was a little off and it didn't have a steady rhythm but that was most likely due to the medicine. Other than that, it had a strong heart and I knew it would survive, even at the cost of my life.

Once again, I must have gotten caught up in my own thoughts because the next thing I knew, a bento box was sitting in my lap and with a bottle of water. Hinata and Ino were eating quietly, smiling at me and each other knowingly. I looked them, and then followed their eyes to my grown stomach.

I had been eating a lot and the medicine's effects were wearing off, almost gone. My stomach was now one of a woman holding a three month old baby inside her uterus. My stomach was poking out a little through my red top and you could obviously see the roundness of pregnancy from the side. But a straight on look would make me look like I gained ten pounds. Great.

I smiled and wrapped a protective arm around my middle and looked up at my friends. They scooted closer and started to rub my stomach, cooing sweet things that the baby was too young to hear, let alone understand. Just seeing them get all excited was making me happier and more worried.

I shifted then and started to get up looking at the blazing sun above us. Our skin was turning red and the longer we were out here, the shorter our water and food supply would last. Not to mention, we were three women, one pregnant, one incredibly sexy in a skimpy outfit, and one with huge breast spilling out of her top. We were kunoichis of the Hidden Leaf Village, we had all trained under mom for at least three months and I had lived and trained with her for over half her live. We could handle ourselves perfectly but if someone were to attack us right now, in this vulnerable state, there is no doubt in my mind that we would really have a problem. We needed to pick up the pace and make it to the Fire Nation boarder before the end of tomorrow.

Hinata and Ino grabbed my elbows and they started to walk once again. I stopped before they could take ten steps. I could feel something… going into me. I looked down and I didn't see anything but… I could clearly feel something going into my body.

"What is it Sakura? Is the baby giving you problems?" Ino asked in concern. I shook my head now and looked at her, my breath starting to come staggered.

"Ino, Hinata, we have to make it out of this desert by tomorrow or we are screwed. We are low on water supplies and we don't have enough food to last till tomorrow. We can't hunt for anything out here. Hinata can carry yours and my pack. I'm slowing you guys down. I'm sorry." I felt the tears I hated to shed prick at my eyes. Ino and Hinata burst out laughing as I hung my head. They too must have thought I was that pathetic little girl I was back then like I was when Sasuke had left.

"It's about time Sakura," Ino said bending down in front of me as Hinata took her pack and mine. "We were waiting for you to give up your pride and let us help you. We are a team Sakura. And more importantly, we are friends. Yes, it's our mission to protect you and the baby, but we would have done it anyway because we love you." Hinata and Ino smiled and motioned me towards Ino's back.

"We know what we are doing. Now that we can carry you, we can make it back a little bit sooner, even though we will still have to take our time and give you the prenatal care you would get back in the village," Hinata explained, shifting the packs to a comfortable position, "Now, if we hurry and only stop two more times, by sundown we should be very close to the Fire Country Border Control Tower. And don't worry Sakura, Lady Hokage-sama sent another board control pass for you because she knew yours had expired."

I smiled at them both and rested my head against Ino's shoulder as she stood up. The wind began to pick up and blow into my sweat stained hair and forehead. Ino and Hinata took off into a sprint and the last thing I remember seeing is the sun over my head slowly lowering with time.

I woke up leaned against a tree. The desert we had just left was in the near distance and the fire to my right cracked as someone threw in more wood. Something was cooking, it smelled horrible, but I was so hungry I didn't mind. I would probably throw it up later anyway but at least I would have something in my stomach for awhile.

"I see you finally up Sakura," Hinata's voice drifted to me from my right. I slowly turned to see her sitting against the tree next to mine. Ino was nowhere in sight but Hinata had her Byakugan activated so I guess where ever she was, Hinata was keeping an eye on her safety.

"While you were sleep, we checked on the baby once and then made a mad dash and we were able to make it to the board control tower right before sunset. We set camp and the sun set about twenty minutes ago. The baby is fine but it has grown to its rightful size since you fell asleep. Take a look," she motioned towards my belly.

Hesitantly, I looked down. Shock was the first thing I registered in my mind. The baby had stretched my stomach out tightly so that it looked like an over inflated balloon under my top. My stomach was slightly poking out and my belly button was starting to pop out as well.

I smiled and started to rub my belly softly humming a tune I had once heard on a movie. Suddenly, my humming wasn't the only thing that could be heard. Ino had gotten back and was funny with me as she handed me a water bottle.

She knew the tune because she had been the one to show me the movie. Hinata didn't see the movie but we hummed the tune so much that she knew it by memory and now she was humming with us as well.

The humming soon died down and the forest insects were all that could be heard as we ate whatever Hinata had caught us and roasted.

"S-Sakura" Hinata called hesitantly. She was stuttering again, that couldn't be a good sign.

"Yes Hinata?" I looked at her questioningly but she never met my eyes.

"How d-did….this," Hinata began, gesturing towards my swollen stomach, "h-happened? And w-with G-Gaara-kun of all p-people? H-He's the K-Kazekage, m-most f-feared and d-deadliest S-Suna shinobi." Hinata was shaking violently just thinking of Gaara's reputation. I myself gave a little shiver at the thought of Gaara's old ways.

But that was just it, they were his _old_ ways. He wouldn't dare do that kind of stuff today unless he was in a life threatening situation. I knew that for a fact. No, I had never seen him do that but I know it in my heart. If Gaara wasn't really changed, then back in the hospital when we had tricked him into thinking our baby was dead, he would have killed me. But he didn't because he has changed. I'd like to think it was me who did that but I know it wasn't. And I know the love he had once confessed to me was now gone.

I quickly shook the pathway my thoughts were headed down out of my mind and concentrated on trying to answer Hinata's question the best way I could. I knew sooner or later I would have to tell everyone else. I might as well get some practice time now.

For the next forty-five minutes, I laid my head in Ino's lap so she could stroke my hair while .I began to stroke my stomach absent-mindedly as I told my story, _our _story_,_ of how this whole thing with Gaara and I started. I told them everything, minus the sexual details, and they listened silently. We all laughed at the little funny parts here and there but when I began to tell the whole situation with Nekio, things turned to a very… _un-funny._

"Sakura, why didn't you tell us this sooner? Someone is trying to kill you! And if they find out your pregnant, not to mention with the _Kazekage's _baby, you're really screwed!" Ino yelled at a very loud whisper. I sat up just as Hinata began to speak.

"Ino is right Sakura. You're in great danger. Tsunade-sama doesn't even know about this and she should. This is way more than a B rank mission. This is an S class and we should have had ANBU come along with us. What if we get attacked? Sure we can handle it but if it's someone from the same group as Nekio, then we will really have trouble. They have you in a bingo book, most likely more than one, and it is bound to have a bunch of information on you in there. They won't take you lightly which also means they will send someone more powerful then Nekio next time." Hinata continued to ramble her concerns and worries. I had known this already but for it to be actually said out loud, it was like getting slapped with a sack of brick in the chest while getting cut up by a rusty knife then having them pour salt and lemon juice into the cut.

"Hinata, slow down please. First off, I know all of that. Second, we can handle it because as far as anyone knows, I'm still in Suna, recovering in the hospital. My assistant is handling it and making sure everyone knows that for the next week. By then we will be safely behind the walls of Konoha. Now please calm down," I started at a low normal voice but I ended in half yell, half sob.

I was trying to control myself, but the shaking anger and fear that was gripping at my skin so tightly, did not allow me to do so. My baby was in danger because of my line of work. This was exactly what I didn't want for its life. This was exactly the reason why I didn't want to have a child while still on active duty as a medic kunoichi. It's hard raising a kid, let alone without a father to help, even if you do have your friends and family to help were your husband is supposed to. But even with that, to have my child's life in constant danger because of my job, just makes it that much more painful and hard to raise my baby.

Without Gaara's help or protection (not that I needed it), my baby would grow up without his love or care. My baby would wake up and look around only to see me, instead of the both us, like it deserved.

Why was it my baby that had to suffer? It never did anything, hell it's not even old enough to comprehend sound! But once again it was my fault, like always. I was always the one slowing my team down, getting injured, not being able to do anything but watch. I was nothing but a burden. And now, after working so hard to grow out of all that, I end up back at square one. The only difference is this time, it isn't my team I'm hurting, it's my almost family.

I swallowed back the tears and opened my eyes, realizing that I had not only fallen asleep in Ino's lap, but it was almost sunrise and I had spent the whole night half sleep, half thinking. Weird, I was becoming more like Gaara without even knowing it.

I let a sad laugh escape from my lips, letting Ino and Hinata, who were getting things ready to go, that I was awake. They were instantly by my side, already thinking something was wrong.

I waved them off with a smile and sat up, getting myself ready for the days travel. I was the first one to change out of my sweaty clothes and into some fresh ones. I put on a simple red baggy top that helped hold my growing breast down and also caught any milk that might leak out. Very useful if you ask me. I was able to get into my usual black shorts and medic skirt. Slipping on my mother's jacket and my boots back on I rejoined the others. They were waiting for me when I got back.

Ino was next as my and Hinata packed the bags with some more water. She came back in her usual purple outfit, complete with fish-netting and silver little earring that all of her team mates gotten. While Ino and I did a quick examination of the baby, Hinata washed off and changed.

The baby was doing better and I knew that it would be ok to use a little chakra to get us home then I would have to stop completely. Just as the thought of home filled my mind, Hinata's form filled my eye sight. She was back in her usual purple and white hoodie with the black capris to match.

I nodded to Hinata and was about to start pushing my chakra to my feet when Ino's hand incased my shoulder tightly. I looked at her confused and I noticed Hinata in the background looking guilty.

"We don't think it's a good idea for you to use your chakra until we get Tsunade-sama to check you out and give you the ok. Yes, the baby is out of _immediate_ danger but that doesn't mean that things still can't go wrong." Ino was firm as she spoke and I knew she was genially concerned, but still I was not going to let either one of them carry me.

For one, it was plain, downright _embarrassing,_ to have me, a grown ass woman, getting carried around like the child inside me. Second, I was heavier then I was yesterday and even though Ino is strong mentally, she is a little on the weak side when it comes to brute strength. Third off, I was just not going to do it and it wasn't that far from Konoha. I had two legs and _two _heart beats. I can walk just fine. I can run well. With some chakra help, I can jump from tree branch to tree branch just fine.

I looked down at Ino's hand still on my shoulder and shrug it off as gently as possible.

"Look Ino, I love you and I love you too Hinata but it's at least a two days walk from here to Konoha. If we all carry our own wait and actually go our usual speed with some chakra, its sunrise now, we can make it by sunset! Now please! Let's go!" Before they could say anything, I was up and two trees away.

We traveled in silence and kept on going until about an hour until sunset, the Konoha Gates could be seen. We yelled and hooted, finally slowly down to a walk. We were about to fifty or so yards away when Ino and Hinata pulled me to the side of the trail and pushed me against a tree.

"We have to tell her now!" Hinata whispered to Ino angrily.

"No! We can't, it's not our place! It's best to let her find out herself or better yet let Tsunade-sama tell her!" Ino hissed back. It was obvious they were talking about me but other than that I was clueless.

"You know as well as I do that _he _will be there waiting for her! And if not there, then in Tsunade-sama's office!"

"Well then what do we do!?"

"We can't just let her walk in there unprepared!"

"I know that but what about that!" Ino yelled pointing to my stomach, "We can't hide that and he is bound to notice instantly! He won't be happy, especially after he finds out who's the father!"

"But we aren't supposed to tell anyone who the father is!" Hinata shot back, giving Ino a pointed look, "Only people Sakura-chan thinks she can trust are allowed to know what the situation is but other than that no one else knows!"

"But _he will know! _You're not getting it! That's just like s-" Hinata slapped her hand over Ino's mouth before she could finish her sentence, pinning her protest down with a glare that would have my mom, Tsunade-sama, shaking.

"Either tell her or I will," Hinata said flatly, finally looking back at me. Her normally beautiful pale grey eyes were now flat as the sea in the eye of a hurricane. Ino nodded as Hinata removed her palm from her mouth.

"Sakura, we neglected to tell you some things that have changed since you were last here almost a year and half ago," Ino started calmly, taking my shoulder and holding me against the tree at arm's length. I took a deep breath, looking at both Hinata and Ino before nodding for Ino to continue.

"Sakura, Sasuke is back, and he wants you."

* * *

***DRAMATIC MUSIC STARTS PLAYING* DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!! OH NO!!!! CLIFF HANGER!!!! XD**

**Muahah I am so freakin evil I kno! Well that is the first chapter of this lovely sequel. I might change the name but other than that guess what? YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!! **

**PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!**

**--Yuuki**


	2. Month Three: Part Two

**Alright everyone, I'm finally updating to the next chapter. Sorry for the long wait but honestly what kind of motivation do I get when I all I get is **_**nine **_**reviews but on the other hand it's this story is drawing more attention to **_**A Midnight Stroll.**_** I noticed that a lot of people were reading my story but not reviewing. I want to say thank you for the people who did review, and to the people who didn't review, you're the reason why I'm not updating quickly. I would love to have a chapter out once a week or week and half but I don't think I should when people are too lazy to click a button and write that they liked/hated the chapter. But oh well, that's just my opinion. Anyway, here is that next chapter I hope you enjoy. If you no like then you no read! I realize people don't like Gaara and Sakura couple, so if you don't like it DON'T READ THIS gosh! Freakin' idiots! . lol I watch Napoleon Dynamite **_**way **_**to go. Now I'm done. **

**By The Way – 30 reviews = update {meaning: if I don't get 30 more reviews when I post this up, you all don't get an update}**

**-Yuuki ^_~ (evil laugh Muahaha) **

"Talking"

'_Thought'_

'_**Sakumo/Shukaku thought'**_

* * *

**A Midsummer's Dream**

**Chapter Two – Month Three: Part Two – Old Faces & New Problems**

"W-What do you mean he wants me? And why didn't you guys tell me until now? At least I could have prepared myself!" I yelled at them both. I could feel my blood boiling and trying to keep it down was taking a lot of work.

"Sakura, we were under orders not to tell you, but now that I can feel his chakra close by, probably at the gate or in the market, I'm taking a chance and telling you now!" Hinata whispered sternly, placing a hand on the tree between my head and the trail. "Now, look I don't know what to do right now so I have to ask, would you rather us hide it from him or maybe avoid him all together or what? I mean soon you're going to be very obvious and everyone will now but at least you have the right to tell him."

"Sakura what do you want to do? It's your right to tell Sasuke," Ino began.

"Tell me what?" A cold hard voice cut in. I looked up as Sasuke jumped down from the spot he was hidden at high in the trees that surrounded us.

Sasuke looked between Ino and Hinata as they began to back up towards me. He raised one of his raven eyes brows and turned his attention to Hinata, who was glaring back at him. As Hinata and Sasuke had their stare contest, I took the time to look over Sasuke.

He still looked like the same lonely boy who left team seven almost eight years ago. Eight years ago… that would mean he was about twenty to my nineteen years old. Instead of his one piece suit he use to wear, he now wore a white open shirt with an overly huge collar ( I guess it was suppose to show off his abs but he didn't have any – just ribs and a slight bear gut) and black baggy pants with some shinobi boot like mine – minus the kunoichi high heal.

By the time my gaze went back up, I was looking at Sasuke's eyes as his eyed my stomach. I tried to suck it in but it was no use. The tissue around the baby had already hardened. For a long time no one said anything as Sasuke continued to look down at my stomach.

When he reached out to touch me, Ino quickly stepped in between and pushed me and Hinata back towards the trail.

"Sasuke," Ino began with venom dripping onto her words, "We have to go. We just got back from a very important A-Rank mission and Hokage wants to see her daughter right away."

Before Sasuke could open his mouth to utter a word, Ino was pushing us towards the gate. Her arm was firm across my shoulders and her body was tense. I snuck a peek out the corn of my eye and her brow was wrinkled with worry and mouth and jaw were set tightly.

"Don't look at me, don't look back at _him_," she whispered though her teeth as we crossed the threshold of Konoha's Gates. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves as we headed towards the Hokage Building. I could feel Sasuke's chakra following us and like Ino said, I didn't look back.

We finally made it to Mom's office and Sasuke's chakra was still following us. You couldn't really sense it because he was either masking it or a little bit away from us, but either way I could feel him pushing into the back of my mind. If it wasn't for Sakumo's protection I probably would have passed out by now.

Ino knocked and smiled at me as all three of us looked at the familiar halls and doors. I really had been gone too long. I missed every crack and peeling painted wall in this building. I missed all the stores and local faces I use to see daily. But most of all I missed the face behind the door.

"What are you waiting for! Get your asses in here!" Mom screamed from behind the door. We all began to laugh as Hinata opened the door. First Ino then Hinata entered slowly, but I never made it through the door. I yellow blur tackled me down to the ground then was quickly removed off of me.

"Naruto! Didn't I tell you that I would call you in **AFTER **I spoke to the ladies?" Mom yelled, stepping out from her office. She looked the same in her grey top and blue capris with the green gambling jacket but I could have sworn her breast had gotten bigger.

Naruto was still in his orange and black jump suit, like always but today he had the jacket around his waist and a green T-shirt with a swirl design on it that resembled his seal mark.

Shaking my head, I let Ino help me up and take me inside the office to sit down. Naruto of course followed and Mom came in rubbing her head. I guess her head was already aching.

A smile tugged at my lips as Naruto winked at me and gave me his signature thumbs up before pulling me into a tight embrace. It was sweet and well missed. He still smelled like sweat and ramen noodles. I was just about to say something when he pulled away quickly, holding me at arm's length.

"What the hell? Sakura-chan, you've gotten fat! What's with the beer gut? I mean, I know you don't drink so if I wasn't mistaken I'd say you were – "He was cut off short by a grunt and throat clearing.

I looked back to see Kakashi-sensei in the corner still reading that hentai orange book, with Sasuke right next to him. I smiled and walked over and gave Kakashi a tight hug. He returned lazily hanging his arm about my waist. I pulled away and he ruffled my hair, going back to his book.

Some things never changed did they?

I turned to Sasuke and gave him a shocked look, as if I didn't see him at the gate. He looked at me with his usual cold, emotionless mask but someone gleamed in his eyes, telling me there was something there.

"Sasuke… is that really you?" I asked incredulous. I stepped toward him holding out my hands, reaching as if I were to take his face. Sasuke's eyes widened and looked at my hands before looking into my eyes. My lips were slightly parted and I gave him my best 'breath-less' look. Sasuke grabbed my hands but I kept moving closer, knowing good and well that the people behind us were looking at us with shock. Naruto was yelling something but I couldn't hear him. Just a little close and I would be able to…

I was only a few inches away from his face when I whispered, "Paybacks a bitch." Sasuke's face twisted in confusion and before he could utter the 'huh?' forming on his lips, my chakra pumped into my legs and my knee connected with his groin with a painful sounding squish.

I heard the air leave his lung and his eyes shut tightly, his hands covering his throbbing and most likely bleeding reproductive organs. Sasuke began to lean down onto his knees but I caught him by the collar and held him up slightly.

"I hope you feel some of the pain you caused Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and I. This is just the beginning," I smirked the sadistic grin I had learned from the Sabaku family, and felt the chakra rush through my arm, down to my clenched fist and connected with his nose, causing a satisfied crunching sound. Sasuke's head went back and as it swung back forward, my fist connected with his cheek bone and my foot grounded into his stomach.

I literally sent him flying though the wall of mom's office and two other walls behind it. I couldn't see Sasuke's silhouette anymore but a few bricks collapsed in the distance and I heard him groan. I couldn't, nor did I try, to hold back my small laugh.

Being a medic had its perks. Like for instants, when I attacked, I knew exactly what I was doing to your body. For example – the blow to Sasuke's groin not only fractured his pelvis and smashed his penis into cream corn but also blew his hips back. The hit to the nose cracked and flatted his nose to the left side of his face causing most of the skull bone above his right eye to crack and his cheek (those are the most painful and hardest to heal – score!) At least four of his ribs were most likely fractured or broken. And the three walls he went to probably rupture some organs but not enough to cause major surgery just a lot of bruises and sore muscles.

I turned back to see the faces of the people still in the office. Naruto was grinning, beaming with pride and humor. Ino, Hinata, and Mom were pissed, looking at me as if their anger were going to sizzle the blonde hair off their head. Kakashi – much to anyone's surprise – was actually a mixture of shock and awe.

"Sakura! Did I tell you no more chakra use! We let you get here but that was it! You might be hurting yourself and the _berry bunch_," Ino yelled at the top of her lungs. Hinata and mom were glaring daggers at me and I felt myself start to shrink into the destroyed corner of the office.

Before I could say anything, Mom had my upper arm in a tight, bruising grip with everyone following behind either cheering me on about what just happened to Sasuke (Naruto) or yelling at me for being reckless _like _Naruto (Ino and Hinata) or reading a book grinning and mouthing to tell them how I broke his face in so much without so much blood (Kakashi).

We all took a very _brisk _walk to the hospital and into the private examination room only Mom and I were allowed to use. It was much like that one I had in Suna but the equipment was much more advanced and sanitary. Thinking back and comparing my old life to the new life I received in Suna and then again to the life I would start over again here, it all seemed like a blur of drama and tears. Everything was good then went bad and then good again.

"Alright Hun, you know the drill. Change into the paper gown and let's start the examination," Mom said walking out the room to start my charts. Once she was out the room, everyone was quiet as I got up and went behind the little paper screen to change. Naruto, of course, was the first to say something.

"Sakura-Chan, why are you getting an examination? Are you sick? Hurt? What's wrong? And what was with the hostile, yet funny, 'welcome home' to Sasuke? I mean I know he deserved it but, damn, you broke his nuts! That was a little far, even for you!" He had started out serious and ended laughing. I sighed and smiled a little bit as I folded my clothes. After tying to grown behind my back and butt, I stepped out, my stomach very evident.

"Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, I'm pregnant," I simply stated as I took a seat on the paper covered examination table. Naruto stood there, stunned and just watched me move as Kakashi stared at my stomach, and for once, put his book down.

He came towards me slowly, taking my hand in his, our gazes met and he stroked my stomach gently, sweetly. He sighed, shaking his head and mumbling something before actually talking to me.

"Where did the time go? Sakura, you were always the little daughter I always wanted and now…my baby is having a baby. If you need anything, as your 'father' I want you to come to me and I will. Whatever it is – money, food, protection, support – anything you need, I will make sure you have it." He whispered something else I couldn't make out but it sounded like an 'I love you' and kissed my forehead with cloth covered lips. I always saw Kakashi as an Uncle or Father or something along those lines, but I never thought he took me in that way.

The feeling of over joyed relief bubbled in my chest and practically warmed my body. Of course, the feeling didn't last long as Naruto finally came out of his state of shock.

"What do you mean you're pregnant!" Naruto shouted coming over to poke at my belly. I slapped his hands away and Kakashi just hung his head in disbelief. I could hear Ino fuming from behind Naruto and Hinata whispering for her to calm down. Naruto just kept asking question after question, each one coming louder and louder.

"Naruto! Shut up, I'll explain later but you cannot tell Sasuke, understood? I know you're an old woman in the beauty shop with her friends when it comes to gossip but this is one time I need you to be mature and shut your mouth!" I was angry, but not at Naruto, he was simply the target. I sighed deeply and mumbled an apology but he held his hand up to silence me.

"Sakura, I know you have always wanted a family, and I'm happy you're getting one but…. Who's the father? Where is he when you really need him? I mean, if it were me I would have never left you like this," he looked at me with the piercing blue eyes, pleading, "I know how it feels to have no one there to help you…. I don't want you to feel that way and I don't want this knuckle head to go up without a father…," he smiled touching my stomach and tracing my belly button.

"Sakura… If it's needed, could I at least pretend to be the baby's father? At least this way, the town won't talk and you won't feel that much alone. You could live with me, or Ino, or Hinata, or Kakashi-sensei, either way, you won't be alone." Naruto smiled his toothy grin and looked at everyone else, nodding in agreement.

Never in my life had I left so loved and so… cared for. I knew this baby would be happy, biological father or not.

"Naruto, I would like that a lot. I'd feel better when I come to get my exams down and everything having you here, as well as Ino or Hinata. Thank you." I didn't mean to but I started to cry as well as Naruto as he took me into his arm for one of his bear hugs. I felt Kakashi's hand rest on our shoulders and my tears flowed heavier.

That's when Mom decided to step in. I knew she was listening in outside the door, but the tears running down her cheek made it that much more obvious.

"Alright," mom suddenly shouted turning on the sonogram, "Let's see my grandbaby." She smiled as the fuzzy screen began to clear. Mom rubbed the lubricant on my stomach and with the wand, started to search for my baby on the screen.

Excitement coursed through my veins like an electrical current. I was about to be four months pregnant and this would be the first time seeing my baby. I wonder how far along it would be. Even with my knowledge in medicine, I still had that anticipation of finding out what would it look like.

All these questions kept flowing though my head as the screen began to go in and out of clarity. Would the baby be healthy? Would it be and baby boy and look just like his father, a bittersweet reminder of their lost love? Would it be baby girl with the bubble spirit and pink hair just like I was blessed with thanks to my grandmother? Would the baby be sickly and unable to survive? Would it be depressed and cursed as an outcast like its father, Gaara, and new pretend father, Naruto?

I held my breath as I refocused my line of vision on the beeping screen. It was clear now but something wasn't right. I could see the placenta and my uterus but the baby was nowhere in sight. Did I lose the baby? Had I killed its innocent life trying to get away from Gaara and get home? Had I really been so stupid?

I looked back to mom, tears starting to swell in the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over. She looked back into my eyes, curiosity and confusion locked in her hazel gaze. She titled her head slightly, taking a deep breath as she looked back at the screen. I knew that reaction. It meant she knew something just couldn't remember correctly, couldn't place her finger on it.

It was the first time I took notice to the people around me. Nothing was happening. Not a sound was heard, not even the scared breaths I knew they were having. Naruto was squeezing my hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand in a soothing motion, but I could see the terror and sorrow in his deeper, now darkened blue eyes.

Hinata and Ino were holding hands; Ino already in tears but Hinata and Kakashi puzzled me the most. Kakashi was focusing on the monitor, the same curiosity and confusion as mom. He knew something to just couldn't figure out what it was. Hinata was trying to use her Byakugan, key word here – _trying. _

It seemed as if she couldn't, like something was blocking it or confusing her. With a sudden gasp, she let go of Ino and deactivated her powerful vision as she went up to the monitor, looking at it for confirmation.

"Oh goodness," she whispered then looked at me, at my stomach. Before I could ask her what was wrong, Hinata suddenly brought her fist down to my stomach. It never made contact. Naruto, Kakashi, and mom had stopped her before her hand managed to come close to me but that wasn't what shocked us all.

Hinata smiled as she looked down, happy at something.

That's when my eyes caught the slight movement of my stomach. It was _moving. _My stomach, my _baby, _was moving_. _But, it wasn't good. I couldn't feel anything. Not one thing. If I hadn't looked down, I wouldn't have known my stomach was moving.

I looked around and everyone else was stunned minus Kakashi and Hinata.

"I knew it," Hinata whispered smiling at me and tapped the screen. "Remember in the dessert, you kept walking funny saying that something wasn't right, like something was entering you. This is it! It's sand! That's why you've grown so much in just a short time. Your only four month and you look like six or seven. It's because you're holding the baby, and the sand that it called to protect it.

"There is so much in there that even my Byakugan is having trouble piercing through the thick layer. It will eventually, I hope, with time as the baby grows, it will thin out. But you will get a lot bigger than normal pregnant woman. Your baby is just fine and healthy, Sakura."

For a full five seconds, the room was completely silent. As usual, Naruto was the first to say something.

"Alright! I'm going to be a daddy! Celebration at Momiji's Bar and Grill, on Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted as Kakashi turned to check his wallet.

"Come on, let's get the blood work done then you can have fun but I'm making sure you come home by eleven. It's your first night back and I want you to stay with me for at least a week until you go and move where ever you want or you can always stay at home," Momma whispered kissing my head. I wanted to stay with her but when the baby came, it would be too much for her to handle. Me, the baby, being Hokage, running the village – it was just too much.

"Thanks mom," I whispered back as she went to get the needles needed. Kakashi's voice hummed behind my ear once her back was turned.

"I'll pay for my baby girl and her baby but Naruto you're on your own. I pay for your first drink and that's it. And don't any of you even think about putting anything that might possibly be even slight alcoholic near Sakura's lips or I won't hesitate to hang you out in a giant diaper, naked, outside of the Hokage Tower!" That had to have been the most hateful, yet sweetest thing Kakashi has ever said, wow.

Things were looking brighter. Rubbing my stomach, unfolded my arm to let the needle sink into my skin. My baby was ok. My baby was alive. I love my baby.

* * *

**Gaara's POV**

Looking over the files kept by the hospital and Kazekage Tower on Sakura, I felt like such a fool. Was I really had been so busy that I didn't notice all the changes? It's been almost four months since Sakura figured out she was pregnant. She went in and got a blood test done when she was turning two months.

How could I have been so stupid and so rash? She was a medic after all. Dear Kami what have I done?

Looking down at my beloved village from my balcony, I wonder what I could and would be able to give up for my Sakura.

No not just my Sakura anymore, my child as well. Wow, my _child. _I was going to be a father. I knew I would be but I never truly thought of it that way. I am _a father_ now.

Smiling, I looked down at my dirty, rough hands and pictured a beautiful baby girl or boy that looked like a mix of Sakura and I in my hands.

"Gaara?" Someone called from behind me, obviously ignoring my knocking rule and my wanting to be alone. Sighing, I turned to see Temari with my assistant behind her, whispered quickly that she should leave and come back later. She was right, if it was anyone else they should leave but it was Temari.

Yeah, I was mad at her for helping Sakura and her friends with everything and lying about it to me until they were so far gone, there was nothing for me to do, but she was my sister and she was always there for me. Like now. She was helping me arrange something so that I could get my family back without giving up everything.

"Leave us," I ordered my assistant and walked back inside. The air and sun coming in from my windows and balcony were cooling my office from the scorching heat the village was enduring. Temari came to my desk and tried to sit on the edge but after her ass hit the hot wood she jumped up wincing and rubbing her bum.

I almost laughed. Almost.

"Gaara, are you….any better, maybe?" She asked coming up to me and putting a concerned hand on my shoulder. I just looked at her and sat down to busy myself with documents that I really didn't want to look at. The burning leather on my back side felt surprisingly soothing and my mind went back to how me and Sakura would sit in here and do work together. It was more like she was working and I was watching pretending to read but you get the point.

"Well, I didn't come here to bother you. I just came to check on you and tell you that I'm working on getting me and you both to Konoha on official business and here are the hospital updates you requested." Temari put the maroon folder filled with the hospital information I wanted onto the desk.

I watched her leave and waiting until I hear her footsteps descending the stairs until I let the stress show on my face. I missed Sakura so much! And on top of that, I hadn't gone to see my girls – Kandi and Nandi – and the rest of the kids at the hospital since Sakura left almost two weeks ago. They probably had feared the worse had happened to her during the battle with the rogue bandits and it didn't help that I didn't come back to reassure them.

I got up quickly and stomped my way towards the balcony. In one – hopefully graceful – move, I jumped over the balcony protective gate and down the five stories to the sandy ground below. I landed on my feet, thankfully and began a slight jog to the hospital. It was time I stopped mopping and get a plan.

There were others that needed me and Sakura and mines baby would need a father in about six months. If I didn't have her back by then, then I would never get her back.

I entered the hospital through the main doors and ignored all the shocked looks and people dodging my pathway as I practically stomped my way all the way to the third play room. I would have thought they would be outside on the new playground Sakura has gotten them before she left but with the major heat wave continuing out there I wasn't surprised anymore.

It was probably melting the plastic slides and turning the metal bars into branding rods for whoever was foolish enough to touch them.

"Kazekage-sama!" An unmistakable unison of two voices called behind me. I turned and let a small smile spread across my lips and Nandi and Kandi run as fast as there little seven year old legs could carry them before jumping into my open arms.

I swung them around as the giggled and the other kids joined around my legs, jumping and trying to climb my pants. Eventually I got them to calm down enough for me to sit down in one of the tiny green chairs while they all gathered around. It felt like story time at the Kindergarden School down the street.

As soon as it got quiet enough to hear myself think, the questions started.

"Where did you go?"

"Why were you gone so long?"

"Are the bad guys gone for good?"

"Are you ok?"

But the question that struck me the most came from Nandi. She looked at me tears full and holding her sister's hands and tugging on my pant leg. Everything became quiet as she cleared her throat of tears and snot.

"Kazekage-sama," Nandi started, "Where is Doctor Haruno. We haven't seen her in a long time. Is she hurt? Did….Did…" By then her tears had become too much for her to choke back and talk. So Kandi took over, putting on her strong façade even though tears were threatening spill from her own eyes.

"Did Doctor Haruno Die? Is she alright Kazekage-sama, sir? Please, tell us the truth." Her eyes were begging me for the truth and I knew it would come to this, but did they have to be so firm and cute? It just makes everything that much harder to explain.

Sighing, I tried to find a way to start. I couldn't just say 'Well me and Sakura had sex – don't worry you'll know what that is later in life and enjoy it – oh and by the way she's knocked up with my baby and left about two weeks ago and she isn't coming back unless I go get her by convincing her I truly love her and I want the baby she is carrying even if it cost me my job as Kazekage,' could I? No it wouldn't work.

For several minutes we all just sat there quietly. They looked at me for answers and I had no idea how to deliver them.

Finally after what felt like three hours – but it had only about five minutes – I was able to figure out what I could say to them without them freaking out too bad or asking me unnecessary questions.

"Dr. Haruno and I became a couple," I started looking around at all the kids before looking at both my girls, "and we… made a baby. Dr. Haruno is pregnant. When the rouge shinobi came, Dr. Haruno fought hard to protect you guys but she got hurt and so did the baby. I got very mad with her because I thought the baby had died. After wards, she left the village because I had yelled at her so much. She is at her home village now, Konoha, and she isn't coming back."

There I did it without screwing up their innocent minds. I was actually kind of proud… until Kandi spoke up.

"Well why are you still here Kazekage-sama!" Kandi stood up, furious. She stomped over to me – much like a mini Sakura – and started to pull on my cheeks, tears running from her shinny blue eyes down her redden cheeks. Her rough light brown hair was at end and her shoulders began to shake as she pulled my cheeks harder. The little girl had a lot of strength. She really had spent too much time with Sakura and maybe Temari too.

"Go get her back Kazekage-sama! You know you want her back just as much as we do! It's your fault she's gone! Why did you have to be so mean!" Kandi yelled in my face. I was completely shocked. I knew they loved her but these kids were so…observant. It was then that Nandi stepped up, calm and slightly smiling, and took a hold of Kandi's shoulders. She pulled her back, making her release my cheeks and hugged her sister from behind.

"Kandi, calm down. Kazekage-sama didn't mean it. Just like you don't mean it when you get mad at me for being clumsy and say mean things. It's the same thing. We make mistakes sometimes," Nandi said calmly to Kandi with warm eyes. But it didn't last long. She turned those power raging blue eyes on me.

"Besides, if Kazekage knows what he should do and if he doesn't get Dr. Haruno back, he also knows how much trouble he will be in, Right Kazekage-sama?" There was no room for argument. She had gotten the whole room of kids against me in less than a minute. I nodded slowly, looking into Nandi, then Kandi's eyes. I can't believe it – I'm scared.

"Thank you Kazekage-sama," my girls said, running up to me and hugging me tight. What were they? Bi polar now? Three seconds ago they were pissed and evil now they're sweet and innocent again? What the hell?

I nodded and got up, brushing the invisible lent off my pants and walking towards the door. "I'll see you guys next week, I swear," I threw over my shoulder as I opened the door. I could hear the children behind me began to go back to playing and laughing as someone yelled back 'Woo! You shouldn't swear Kazekage-sama!'

I chuckled softly to myself and shook my head, making my way slowly down the winding halls of the hospital. I don't know how I ended up there, but when I looked up I was in the maternity wing, in front of the glass that displayed all the new babies of the week.

'_Damn you feet! Damn you and the brain of your own that brought my body here!'_

'_**Yeah sure blame your feet for what your heart wants to see'**_ Shukaku piped in with a low grumble. He was still mad at me for letting our Sakura get away that day. He only talked now and then whenever he wanted to tease me or make me feel even crappier.

'_What do you want raccoon?' _I asked glaring at my feet, refusing to look at through the glass in front of me.

'_**I want to know when you're going to get off your lazy ass and get Sakura back here. I miss her scent, her smooth skin. HELL I even miss her HAIR! HER HAIR! I hate PINK but I want to see her PINK hair again!' **_He yelled in my head banging and kicking around like a five year old having a tantrum.

'_**HEY! I may look like a five year old having a tantrum but at least I'm not sitting around mopping like a jackass instead of admitting my mistake and going to get my girl back!'**_

'_Whatever, shut up and keep your comments to yourself'_

'_**I will when you look through the glass'**_

'_No' _I knew as soon as I looked up I would be lost and then I really wouldn't know what to do but I'd know what I'd want to do.

'_**Exactly now look'**_

'_No!'_

'_**Why not?'**_

'_Cause I said no!'_ I yelled out loud, unknowingly lifting my head up wanting to stare into my reflection in the glass and into my eye were I knew Shukaku could see me.

But my focus, instead, went to the tiny little girl sleeping in a clear plastic crib. She was bundled up tight in a pink blanket with a matching cap. Even in this heat, the hospital was freezing and I wanted a jacket so I know the tiny babies on the other side of the glass – that couldn't shiver to help them stay warm – were begging for the warmth of their blankets. **(A/N: Did you know that a baby less than six months old cannot shiver? Shivering is what actually keeps us warm when we are cold and because babies can't do that, they completely stop moving and literally shut down their tiny bodies to preserve heat in their torso. Cool huh? I was watching a baby video in health today ^-^ Back to the story) **

'_**Beautiful aren't they?' **_Shukaku cackled with a grin as he too admired the tiny little beings behind the glass.

'_Yeah… they actually are really cute…'_

'_**Too bad one of them won't be ours'**_

'_Shut up I know where you're going with this and I don't want to hear it' _I warned Shukaku with a growl. He was trying to make me feel guilty so I could go back on my hands and knees like a pathetic dog to go get Sakura.

'_**Damn straight! That's exactly what I was hoping to do!' **_he shouted back with a grin.

It was then that my attention that had been on arguing with Shukaku shifted to the small orange container in the corner of the NICU. There was something moving very slowly in there.

Without thinking, I walked around the corner and into the door. The nurses attending to the babies were staring at me but none of them bothered to stop me until I came almost three feet away.

It was then that a bust orange haired nurse stepped in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest. She wore way to much make up and a white lab coat covering up whatever outfit she had put with the six inch black heels she was wearing. The mole over her lip on the right side was smearing, indicating it was fake and her cat-eye like glasses were also fake considering I could see the local fashion shops logo on them. The thick red strip below her left shoulder on her lab coat let me know she was head nurse of the stuff here in the NICU.

"Mr. Kazekage-sama, sir, you are not authorized to be in here let alone near the critical condition babies!" She yelled at me with a firm strict voice. Had I been anyone else, I would have tucked tail and left but this woman worked for me. She would not talk to me like this and I would see what I wanted to. I looked down at the breasts that has first caught my eye to see what her I.D. and authorization badge said. Her name was Cyndi. Great another –ndi name. First Kandi and Nandi and now Cyndi.

"Look here, Cyndi, as you well know I am the Kazekage. So tell me where do you get off telling me in that tone of voice what to do? I love the people in this village but I won't let one of them talk down to me or disrespect me when it is me sending the people I care about the most to protect everyone and in turn putting myself in harm's way to make sure everyone is safe even if it cost me my life!"

I wasn't in the mood to play games with this coy woman. I wanted to see what exactly was in the orange containment unit and she was in my way giving me a flirtatious smile with a glare. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair trying to stay calm. Shukaku's laughing didn't help much either.

"Mr. Kazekage-sama I cannot let you pass," Cyndi started and was stopped short by another nurse walking into the room and interrupting statement. I turned and saw that it was Sakura's old assistant, Miszuki I think her name was.

"Kazekage-sama, sir I'm so glad you found your way here. When I sent you the message about this unit I didn't think you would even read it considering recent events," Miszuki said shyly coming to rest her hand on my upper arm. I vaguely remember the note passed to me with the hospitals sigma on it and Miszuki's name printed on it. I also vaguely remember throwing it out the window and having it set on fire… or something like that. So that was what the note was about.

"Anyway, you were suppose to come last week so I could have the staff ready to explain everything but unfortunately, with this heat wave, a lot are sick and most didn't come in," She continued to talk but I didn't listen. I could hear her saying something about needing funding to keep this wing alive as well as the babies here but when Cyndi moved aside everything else just disappeared.

There, in the containment unit glowing orange with warmth, was a little blanket wrapped into a nest around a tiny baby boy. He was tiny that the new born diaper didn't fit. It went past his crooked legs and didn't fit around his waist. He had lumps of skin hanging off of him and an oxygen mask lying next to him to help him breathe. His eyes were covered and his little fingers were shaking so much, it may have looked like he was crying but he wasn't. He was still. Struggling to breathe and not fully developed, you could see the light coming straight through his thinner than paper skin. I could see all his veins and if I were to lift his tiny frame in the light, I could probably see all his organs in his body struggling it work properly.

I got closer and saw that the name tag and information was attached to the top of the unit. _'Terris, Cody' _it read. His name was Cody. He had been born two days ago. Premature by three months and in the NICU because he couldn't breathe on his own yet due to his underdeveloped lungs and could eat nothing by mouth so he was fed through his IV.

'_**Damn,'**_ Shukaku began actually feeling the same sorrow that was consuming me, _**'Life is going to be hard for this little tyke. He won't be able to be a shinobi, won't be able to be normal and play outside or anything. I wonder what his mother did when she found her son was on the cliff edge of death.'**_

I nodded, wondering the same thing. If it was my son in there I wouldn't leave him ever. I would sit right here on my knee and watch him unit he got better. I don't even think I could handle looking at him but I would try.

'_Cody,' _I thought looking around at the ten other orange containment units with their babies in them. One had a set of twin girls in it, both in worse shape than Cody and didn't look like they would survive by the end of the week. _'If it wasn't for this unit, these kids would be dead by now. What if this is something that Sakura is going through and I'm sitting here, selfishly not helping at all.' _

Shukaku nodded in agreement as I regained my composure and turned back to the staff that had gone quiet about two minutes ago, just watching me. I walked out the door without looking at any of them.

"Send me any bill that you need paid to keep this place running. New equipment, medicine, anything, and I'll make sure you get it all and more," I said in an indifferent tone. I knew what I needed to do now. And there was no way in hell I was going to sit back and not do anything.

'_Sakura, please just wait a little longer.'_

'_**Here we come baby! Big Papa is coming back for you mate!'**_

'_Stupid demon…'_

* * *

**And that's it everyone! For now at least, I'll update again when I get ****AT LEAST 30 REVIEWS! ****I mean it 30 reviews and then you get your update. I am trying very hard and putting in a lot of time into my story and I would like it if you would at least tell me what you think about or what your opinions are. Is that seriously too hard?**

**By the way, I am having eye surgery very soon to help me with my blindness. It will take me a while get back to normal but I will try to write as best as I can. **

**Love you all please be good and I hope you enjoyed, **

**-Yuuki ^_~**


	3. Month Four: Part One

_**Wow I didn't really think anybody would take my threat for 30 reviews seriously but it looks like you guys did and I'm happy. I guess you guys must really like my story so I'm happy. This also means that the more you review that faster my hands type and damn I'm starting to get cramps! You guys are going to give me carpal tunnel! **_

_**Anyway I'm so so soooooo sorry for not updating when I promise but please listen to me when I say that it is all my fault and I should have give my chapter to my editor to post up for me. I have had this chapter and half of the next chapter ready for some time but because I have surgery on June 16**__**th**__**, I was hospitalized for a week then had my eyes taped over. I couldn't do anything that included getting on my laptop until now. I'm sorry. From now on though I will have the chapter ready and up when I say. Please be patient with me though. I'm still struggling to see but I promise to do my best.**_

_**By The Way – 75 reviews = update {meaning: if I don't get 75 reviews when I post this up, you all don't get an update and if I do get my 75 reviews then I will start writing the next chapter and then will update}**_

_**-Yuuki ^_~ (evil laugh Muahaha)**_

"Talking"

'Thought'

'Sakumo/Shukaku thought'

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Three – Month Four: Part One – Evil Eyes and Unknown Protection**_

My third month had come and gone quickly. Nothing really happened. That is, until I started to show. I had already been showing but around the middle of the month, my appetite had grown so much and so had my morning sickness. Unfortunately, as supporting as my 'father' Kakashi and 'baby daddy' Naruto were, their wallets were taking some serious punches every time we went out. So to save them some time, and save Naruto from having to hold my hair for so long at the crack of dawn, we all started eating a lot healthier and, for me, a lot more.

That's why I was in the market today. I am shopping for Naruto's apartment that he's sharing with me. I swear he is such a gentleman. He put in another bed and crib in his room and gave me his nice comfy bed while he slept by the crib on the tiny twin size mattress.

I told him I should sleep by the crib but he scolded me saying that if I was going to suffer for nine months, the least he should do is get up with the baby at night. Such a good father already, and it's not even his baby.

Papa-Kakashi – he insisted I called him that and I didn't mind, it was kind of cute in a creepy way- was a shocking surprise. He had been very protective of us as a team but it only became worse when he named himself "Father of the Pregnant Pinky". He even got a badge put on his jounin vest that says that. Every time I tried to do something he was there to check and make sure it didn't harm me or the baby. I was walking in my usual female shinobi sandals, the ones with four inch heels, and suddenly, Papa-Kakashi picks me up, breaks off my heels, and throws the heel into a nearby bush.

"What the hell!" I ended up yelling at him but all he said was, "Shhh, the baby can hear you cursing. You don't want it to come out cursing like a sailor, do you?" And with that, he rubbed my stomach and 'poofed' off.

Oh but that wasn't all. When I got home, all my shoes had the heels clipped off of them and a note attached to the wall saying, "Baby Safety First – Papa Kaka!"

Mom had yelled at him, but he didn't listen. At least he is trying. I want to hurt him most of the time but I know he's just thinking about the baby and how he can help – even if it is in an odd way.

Sasuke had been hospitalized for two days then released. I had hurt him but he was a quick healer. I saw him occasionally but every time I did Naruto or Papa-Kakashi were with me, an arm wrapped around me protectively. I don't know why, but no one would let him near me. It was like he was a cat and I was the yellow bird dipped in cat nip.

I asked Papa Kakashi and everyone else about it but all they would say is, "Eh you don't need to worry about it." Sometimes I'd try to push them into telling me but none of them would budge.

I walked by my favorite sweet sugar bread stand in the market and got a bag of three. They were so sweet and tasted so good to me and the baby but the sugar taste turned into bitter ash in my mouth as two voices from across the street came into range.

"There she is," one said to the other. It was a younger, slightly roughened voice.

"I know, the girl who was supposed to save our lives as a doctor," the other, slightly older voice said.

"Now look at her, nothing but a common whore!" the first voice said in a whispered yell.

_**'Sakura, calm down! There is no need in for violence over rumors and gossiping bitchs,'**_ Sakumo said with a snooty swish of her hair. She was right i should just calm down and ignore them but there words kept me in place to listen.

"Ayako, she's more than a common whore. She's a _cheap_ whore. Just look at her! She was supposed to go on a mission to train medics but _no_, she goes there and fucks everyone with a penis! Now, she's pregnant!" the older woman said as my heart dropped along with the sugar breads out of my hand. I had stopped walking all together and was standing there in the middle of the street listening to these women talk nasty about my baby and myself.

The woman, Ayako, spoke again, "Such a slut… running off and getting pregnant without a husband. What kind of woman is that? And what kind of man leaves their bastard baby with a woman like that!"

It was that statement that sent my temper soaring.

_**'THATS IT KICK HER ASS! RIGHT NOW, DO IT RIGHT NOW I DEMAND HER BLOOD ON OUR FIST!' **_Sakumo scream in my head and that exactly what i would do.

I turned to the offending women sitting outside the tea shop, and stomped my way over to them. They didn't even notice I was there until I was shadowing there light. They looked up and instantly paled.

"What right do you have to say anything about me and my unborn child?" I asked in a cold voice. I looked at them both, my composure slowly slipping away. The bold one, Ayako, was the first to answer.

"We have all the right to say what we want about you. You're the one that is supposed to be protecting us and yet you can't do that because you're too busy fucking everyone else!" She stood up and yelled in my face. It was then that any bit of self control I had was lost to the wind that blew my hair and cooled the sweat that dripped down my neck.

"No! In fact you don't have any right what so ever to say any of that stuff! I protect you from whatever danger comes your way and you sit there and accuse me of not doing my job? For your information, this baby's father isn't here because he can't be! This baby's father loved me and up until I met him, I hadn't had sex! Not once! So before you go shooting your fucking mouth off, think about what you're going to say! So don't you dare talk about my baby or the father of my baby like that again or I will _kill you!"_

I was yelling, slightly tearing up, and all the people passing by had stopped and formed a small crowed behind me. Then woman, Ayako, was shaking as she leaned away from me. The other woman she was with was gone and someone was holding me from behind while another hand a strong hand on my shoulder.

I was shaking, hard. I was just… so mad. This woman, I didn't even know and she didn't know me, was talking so ugly about my baby! _My baby_! And _MY_ almost Gaara. How could she!

I lifted my arm to punch her and the hand on my shoulder grabbed my wrist quickly and the arms encircling my growing waist line tightened. Ayako had flinched away, scared.

Papa Kakashi, still holding my wrist, nodded to the right for the girl to make a quick getaway and she did. Naruto loosened his arms around my waist and set his head on my shoulder as a silent tear ran down my cheek and dripped off my chin. Naruto, being the loving person kissed my tear away and slowly began to rock me.

"Sakura-chan, you have to calm down. We have to turn around in a minute and I don't want anyone seeing you cry," he whispered as his taller frame covered mine. He started rubbing my belly slowly, soothingly trying to calm me down. It was working until I felt a sharp pain hit my belly button where Naruto's hand had stopped.

"Sakura, holy cow!" Naruto yelled slightly backing up. I looked back at him, tears rolling freely now and a smile pulling at my lips.

"It kicked, Naruto," I said, slightly laughing. It was a hard, strong kick which meant its heart and muscles were developing good. Papa Kakashi knelt down and rubbed his hand gently on my stomach for a few seconds and again the baby kicked, a little lower this time. Gosh, it hurt but I was so happy I didn't care.

Papa Kakashi smiled up at me, slowly still rubbing my stomach and Naruto wrapped an arm around my shoulder kissing my cheek. I smiled back at them, and rested a hand on my stomach. And I turned around to start walking down the street for some more sweet sugar breads but Naruto stopped me.

"Oi, Sakura-chan what do you think you're doing? There is no time for your sweet sugar bread fetish today! You have to go to the hospital to start your prenatal care!" He yelled taking my arm and pulling me in the opposite direction. I looked to Papa Kakashi for help and, all he did was smile under his mask and hold up a steaming bag of sweet sugar bread, before tucking it in his vest.

"You deserve to satisfy your cravings as long as you do what you need to first," he scolded playfully, "So when you're done at the hospital you can have them, ok?" I nodded and turned back to grinning Naruto. Only he wasn't grinning anymore.

His face twisted with a mixture of anger and tension. Kakashi got the same way and pulled me close to his side. We were still walking towards the hospital, but slower now. I tried to look past Kakashi's form, but he kept blocking my view.

It wasn't until a voice stopped us in our tracks that I knew what was going on.

"So Sakura, you're pregnant," Sasuke said stepping in front of Naruto. Naruto's body instantly tensed, whispering something I couldn't hear to Sasuke, but Sasuke just ignored it.

I swallowed hard; afraid to actually look Sasuke in the face, but that didn't mean I would lower my head and bow down to him like a kicked puppy.

"Sasuke," I said, slightly stepping out of Kakashi's hold on me. He looked over Naruto's shoulder at me and grinned. I glared back at him.

"Sakura," he began, trying to get around Naruto, "It's been so long since I've seen you. Why can't I get a good hug like everyone else? Or are you too fat to put your arms around me anymore?" I smiled at his weak attempts to spike my anger. It was true; it had been awhile since we had seen each other. Things changed. I changed, and the one thing I knew I had over him is that I never lost my temper anymore without good reason.

"Ha, yes I have gotten a bit plump and I'm glad I have. My fat is creating a nice, warm, squishy bed for my baby to grow on comfortably until it is born," I replied with a false sweet smile. Apparently Sasuke didn't like this because he started to flex his fingers, curling and uncurling them into a tight fist.

Papa Kakashi and Naruto seemed to notice this too and went into protection overdrive by putting themselves in front of me, their hands in their weapons pouches.

"Boys, manners," I reminded them calmly. Stepping past Kakashi, I stood by Naruto. He still hadn't released from his tense stance. Placing my hands softly on his shoulder, he instantly relaxed them under my touch. And just as fast, he took me into his arms protectively.

Naruto stood behind me, his legs spread to slightly go around mine. One of his arms wrapped right under my heavy breasts while the other was wrapped tightly under my stomach. His head forced mine to the side slightly as he sniffed the crook of my neck and let his hot, ragged breath fan over my collarbone.

I didn't understand why he had gotten so… cave-man on me. But when I looked down to him, I understood. The whiskers that covered his cheeks had become more pronounced and the corners of his eyes had begun to bleed red. I thought he was going to lose control right here in the middle of the street just to protect me. As if reading my mind, he spoke.

"I'm fine. I want you safe though," he said in a hush, eerily calm voice. In a few moments that seemed to drag on for hours, he relaxed his stance. I had almost forgotten Sasuke, Papa Kakashi, and the rest of the people passing us by.

I looked back and Papa Kakashi seemed to have a very inappropriate amused look to him. But when I followed his eyes and Naruto's back to Sasuke, I got the same look. Sasuke just seemed so pissed. And I knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut for long.

"So your bastard baby is Naruto's? How stupid could you be?" Sasuke sneered. Naruto's hold on me tightened as he struggled not to do or say anything, which in Naruto's case, was rare.

"What are you jealous that he got laid before you?" I asked lightly.

"No," he growled back, "I just pity Naruto because he has a slut of a girlfriend like you." His comment hurt me a little and Naruto's anger was growing so much, I felt the heat of it on my back. But it wasn't me, Naruto, or Kakashi

"Why don't you admit you're pissed about not getting Sakura to screw you? Admit that your not only pissed, but jealous that Naruto got what you couldn't have!"

I turned my head to see Ino, hands on her hips and a sneer replacing her smile, with Tenten and Hinata flanking either side of her. Tenten leaned on Ino's right shoulder, grinning knowingly at Sasuke.

"All these years Sakura was by your side and you just threw her away, right into Naruto's waiting arms. And now you're just pissed that by the time you saw what you did, it was too late to fix anything," she claimed a bit evilly.

Sasuke couldn't say anything. He just stood there for a few moments looking at the three girls then back at me, Naruto, and Papa Kakashi. He leaned toward me and yanked on my hair so I would lean towards him as well.

"I've changed; you've changed, but guess what? You're still my slut," he whispered with a smile I knew he got from Orochimaru.

"Sakura!" Hinata cried and everything began to move slowly. I looked Hinata who was yelling at me and crying as she pointed down. I looked down in time to see Sasuke's fisted hand pull back and ram into my stomach.

I closed my eyes and scream in shock… but not in pain. There was no pain. My heart was racing and beating against my chest. Eyes misted with tears, I looked up and met Sasuke's shocked eyes. Why was he shocked?

I looked down and got my answer. Floating about five centimeters away from my bulging stomach and slowly creeping up my Sasuke's fist and arm, was sand. Sandy dirt that came from…somewhere on my body and below our feet.

Realization flashed across Sasuke's eyes as he looked back into my eyes. He dared try to harm my baby and now he is smug about it! If the sand had not been there my baby could be dead and he is smiling!

"I guess Sakura dear, you aren't as honest and pure as you claim. I wonder if Naruto knows he has a hoe as a girlfriend. And the sand bastard's demon child is growing inside of you too? This baby won't make it back past six months and ill be sure of that" Sasuke threatened as he grinned and pressed his teeth against my cheek. And that's when I cracked and the rage I had been hiding behind my cool and calm demeanor broke free.

"Guess what? You're wrong. You still have payback to endure," I whispered back and grinned as my shoe connected with his shin. I didn't mean to add my chakra, well that much chakra, to the kick – considering using my chakra could no longer harm the baby, but instead make my water break early and I would go into labor – but I was so use to it that I just happened. I kicked Sasuke so hard, his whole leg went back, tossed him off balanced, and sent his face into the dirty.

No one but me could help but laugh at the site, because no one but me knew what Sasuke saw and said. The Great Sasuke Uchiha, genius prodigy of our generation, with his face in the dirty from a simple kick to the shin, and my rage was begging in my ears to do more.

Ino walked over to me and Naruto, smiling as she grabbing my arm. She tried to pull me with her as Sasuke began to get back up with a knowing smirk but Naruto wouldn't budge. Hinata had seen everything and came up a few feet behind Ino and mouthed 'Is everything ok?' I nodded to reassure her and turned but to Naruto.

"It's ok Naruto," I whispered and kissed his cheek to ease his anger as well as mine. Grinning and blushing like an eleven year old boy. He let me go and took my hand into his and let Ino tow us both up the street and away Sasuke. He was such a great friend. He was doing all this even though this baby wasn't his.

After a few minutes Ino, Tenten and Hinata talking and walking a few feet in front of us, Papa Kakashi said his goodbyes, without giving me my sweet sugar bread.

Looking at Naruto, his face beaming with pride and joy and his hand tightly covering mine, he would make a great husband and father. I was so lucky to have him, I truly was, and it was time he knew it too.

"Naruto," I began, grabbing his attention as he looked at me still smiling, "Thank you. You've been so good to me. You protect me and this baby and it's not even yours. I mean, you've just been so great and I don't want you to feel that you need to devote yourself to me. You can do what you want and see whoever you truly lo-"

"Sakura," Naruto said abruptly cutting my off with a soft grin and half lidded deep blue eyes piercing mine, "I love you, and this baby. I know that it isn't mine but I don't care. I want to be the father that Gaara didn't want to be. And before you ever ask how I know, Sakura your stomach is filled with sand who the hell else could it be? Ha, anyway, look I love you and I know you don't love me the same as you love Gaara but maybe in time, after the baby is born and after the we get married, you will learn to love me the same as I love you. I want to be this baby's father forever if you'll allow me to. That why when little he or she is born, and the certificate is made, where is says father I can put my name."

I was in tears. Naruto truly loved me, ever since we were kids, and I was so dumb not to see that. I was all over Sasuke and I didn't see the truly great person standing right in front of me, protecting, holding, loving, and caring for me.

I took Naruto's arm and pulled him closer to me. As we continued to walk, slowing down to further the distance between the Ino, Tenten and Hinata, who had all been joined by their boyfriends – Choji, Neji, and Kiba – we walked in blissful silence. Naruto slung his arm around my shoulders and I tucked into his side and slid my arm around his waist.

Naruto looked down at me and smiled. I smiled back and got on the tips of my toes to kiss his whiskered cheeks when the pig's voice interrupted from about seven feet in front of us.

"Come on you horny love birdies! We got to go find out the sex of my Godchild!" Ino yelled with Choji wrapped up in her arms. Tenten giggled as Hinata, Kiba and Neji shook their head.

"Ino, I'm not letting my child around you, let alone you become its Godmother!" I yelled back and Ino gave a look of fake hurt.

Naruto laughed beside me, giving my hand a good squeeze. I smiled and squeezed back but that only made him squeeze back harder. I gave up and settled tucking myself back into his side was better.

Naruto was so good to me. I would be good back. Gaara thought this baby was dead… he didn't need more stress on myself or him. So I am going to make a new life… with Naruto and we will be happy and everything that Gaara and I had would fade away with time until it is nothing but a blissful memory that shouldn't have happened.

"Are you ready?" Naruto asked as I blinked out of my thoughts. We were already at the hospital and an unfamiliar female doctor stood in front of me and Naruto.

Her reddish blonde hair was put up in a high pony tail but it still came down to her hips. She wore glasses that framed her face and in her six inch black heeled boots. She stood a good five foot ten to my five foot two. But Naruto still towered over her at six foot three.

But it wasn't her height or her model like figure that set off alarms in my head. It was the fact that I could tell she was a shinobi by her many unhealed scars and wounds around her hands and thighs. And the fact that she didn't wear her head band anywhere on her, not even on her lab coat.

But not even that is what set off my alarms. It was the fake untrustworthy smile forcefully plastered on her lips. Those ruby red lips that held cream colored teeth behind them. It was the stormy grey eyes that bore into mine that held secrets and misleading kindness that had my body tense with adrenalin and alarm. This woman, Dr. Hojikin I read on her lab coat name tag – if she really was a doctor, was not to be trusted. Something was off about her and I was going into a small examination room with her to let her do the necessary care for my baby's well being.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Ivy Hojikin. I will be giving you your prenatal care as well as doing an ultrasound on you to tell how the baby is progressing and, if you would like, to tell you the sex of your baby."

"Yes we know all that you are to be doing," Naruto said harshly, following the woman's every movement. His body was tense beside me as he helped me to sit on the small paper covered bed. He looked down at me and I knew he felt the same chill of uncertainty about the Ivy woman as I did.

I nodded to him as Ivy got out a needle and syringe filled with something that didn't resemble anything medical needed for pregnancy. She smiled her fake smile again and came towards me, when a sudden loud booming voice and hard knock rang in our ears.

"Who the hell locked this damn door! And why the hell is my daughter in there without me? She is always to be in my care not anyone else! Sakura unlock this door now!" Mom's voice echoed with authority as the wooden door started to creek and with the weight of her heavy hand pounding on it.

Naruto moved to open the door but I pulled him back just as the door split and gave in falling horizontally. Red with rage, my mother stormed in stepping over the debris she just caused. She smiled at me sweetly before turning her glare full blast at the Hojikin doctor.

"You! I don't remember hiring you! Why are you in here and what were you about to give my baby girl?" Mom questions stepping close to her, backing Ivy into the sink.

"S-Sorry ma'am, I'm an intern and the nurse at the head desk gave me this case. A-And as for the syringe, it's filled with Hydrocortisone Lidocaine," Ivy managed to stutter out.

"Hydrocortisone Lidocaine? Are you out of your bimbo looking mind! Do you see any skin conditions, bug bites, serious burns or bruised that might suggest internal bleeding? No you don't, so put that syringe away and throw the needle out!" Mom was mad and it was so funny seeing Ivy cower in fear away from her.

"So baby, how is the baby," mom said as she came over with her stethoscope and listened for mine, then the baby's heart beat. She couldn't find the baby's heart due to the layer of thickening sand forming around it.

"The baby is fine mom and I'm just hit sixteen weeks two days ago," I said happily. Mom helped me up and took me over to the scale. The moment I hated the most – getting weighed.

"Ok Sakura, you were a good 115lbs to begin with and now at your fourth month you are… 121lbs. That's really good, now on to your measurements," Mom said as she went to get a measuring tape. When she did find one, she wrapped it around my back and held it at my bellybutton. I read the tape before she said anything.

"You're about 42 inches around, so you have increased by about twenty inches," Tsunade said happily. She rubbed on my low stomach and something caught her attention. She rubbed a little slower before helping me to sit down and lay back. She lifted up my shirt and a small, grainy like train. I could see it but I felt her fingers slowly follow it back to my belly button. It was moving up and down slightly, slowly.

"Oh my goodness," Mom whispered stunned. I tried to look at what she saw but she took my hand and made it follow the grainy trail she had followed. It felt familiar.

"What is it?" I asked starting to worry. Naruto went to look and then stepped back. Shock and surprise were all over his face but he didn't say a word until I threw a cotton ball at him.

"Holy crap, Sakura-chan! It's sand, and it's coming from your belly button. It's making a little train down your belly." He said running his hand over the slightly moving sand on my belly.

My mind instantly went to Gaara. Even as far apart as we were, he was still protecting me. No, protecting both of us. He may not know about this baby being still alive but at least he was protecting us.

"Ok Sakura, let us have a talk," mom began grabbing a stool to sit down next to me. She gave me all the things I can't do on the list and suggested stuff to help me sleep like this huge, fluffy pillow that wrapped around me but I didn't think that would be necessary. Sleeping arrangement would have to be changed soon.

We came in at around noon but by the time we left it was about three. Tired and craving sweet sugar bread. Little did I know, I had a surprise waiting for me at the front desk.

"Sakura-sama!" a nurse called out to stop me as Naruto and I were about to leave. She handed me a warm brown bag with a note attached to it.

_Sakura baby girl,_

_You didn't think I would forget to give you your reward for being a good Daddy's girl while at the appointment today, did you? Well if you did, I didn't._

_I had to get another order of the bread for you, Ha, they were just too good to resist. I'll be gone for a while because I've just been assigned an S-class mission with Gennma and a few others._

_Love you and I'll see you when I get back._

_-Papa Kakashi_

I smiled as I opened the bag and the melted sugar filled my nose. I quickly reached in and satisfied my craving. I shared with Naruto of course but there were only seven bread buns in there so he only got one.

* * *

**GPOV**

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"How about now?"

"No"

"Are we half way there?"

"Maybe"

"So we are almost there?"

"No!"

Kankuro and Nandi had been going at it like this since we left the hospital. Nandi and Kandi had been released the other day and now they just made weekly visits just to be safe. I decided to help their grandma out and take them to every other appointment and then once they were done, take them back to my office, just to hang out and give their grandmother a break.

Unfortunately, Kankuro had wanted to see them and because it was the first time for all three of them to meet, they wouldn't stop asking questions. Kandi had given up once we got to the doctors and afterwards, Temari joined us for the walk back to the office. Nandi insisted on riding Kankuro's shoulders while Kandi held Temari's hand.

Now, with Nandi on his shoulders and playing with the ears of his hood, Kankuro couldn't get Nandi to stop talking and his irritation was growing quickly.

"So Kankuro-sama, why do you dress like a cat?"

"Because I'm just the sexy"

"What's sexy?"

"Nothing"

"Ok.. So are we there now?"

"NO!"

Kankuro finally gave up and picked Nandi off his shoulders, and into my arms. He walked off mumbling angrily as Temari and Kandi laughed. Nandi pouted, thinking that she might have done something wrong. I kissed her forehead and helped her up on my shoulders.

"Nandi, sorry about my brother. He is not in a good mood. I promise next time we see him, he will behave better," I said up to her and I felt her little body hug my head and nod.

"Gaara, I've been meaning to talk to you about – " Temari began when she suddenly stopped. I looked to her, confused, and saw that she had taken a defense stance. Kandi was tucked behind her knee, shaking and scared as she looked up to whatever had Temari read to fight.

Following their eyes, I held now sleeping Nandi as she leaned her little body on my head and saw the one person I never thought I would see at my office front doors again.

Neenah.

"Look woman, move out our way, I don't want to say or do anything in front of these girls but if you don't move, I'll move you," Temari threatened through clenched teeth. Kandi was holding back her tears as we saw Neenah take out a kunai and step toward us with her hand on her hip.

I growled, letting the sand around my feet start to stir. I was ready to attack Neenah if she so much as looked at my girls – Temari, Nandi and Kandi – wrong.

"Kazekage-sama, what's wrong?" Nandi asked me in a sleepy whisper. I calmed down a little just hearing her voice, and rubbed her little legs that hung from my shoulders.

She yawned and smacked her lips a little. I guess she saw Neenah finally because her tiny body clung to my head suddenly, shacking, and her hands fisted in my hair.

"It's ok Nandi," I told her calmly and took her off my shoulders. If this turned into a fight, it would have to be me and Neenah going at it while Temari got the girls somewhere safe. It wouldn't do to have Nandi on my shoulders where Neenah could hurt her. I didn't need to kill this woman just because she was stupid enough to try and hurt Nandi.

"Gaara-_kun,_" Neenah sneered as I set Nandi on the ground and she made a dash for Kandi. They held each other, watching Temari and I. With a quick glance at Temari, she understood what to do.

"You don't speak with such disrespect to our Kazekage-sama! You know better now address him the right way!" Kandi yelled out, stepping from behind Temari's leg.

The kunai in Neenah's hand flew at her and if my sand had been a faction slower, it would have cut her from her nose to her cheek. Shukaku fought for control, demanding Neenah's blood be added to the collection in my gourd. I fisted my hands so tight trying to stop Shukaku from killing this stupid woman that my nails went into my palms. I bled until the blood was dripping off my knuckles.

Neenah watched the blood pool and get absorbed into the sand with a satisfied smile. The once annoying and childish woman that used to be obsessed with me and sex had changed into an annoying obsessed woman with a weapon and twice the obsession.

"Gaara, I have some news for you about you _dearly loved _Sakura. You remember her right? The one you left me for and in the end she killed your child and left you," she sneered. How did Neenah know about our baby? Everyone knew Sakura left but none knew why besides me, Temari, and a few select others. So how did she know that Sakura had killed the baby? And if she knew all that then, why _didn't _she know that the baby was really alive and that Sakura didn't leave me put I made her leave?

"Kazekage-sama," Nandi shaky voice brought me out of thought, "is that true? Did Dr. Haruno kill her baby? Is that why she really left?"

"No Nandi! Don't you dare believe anything this woman says! She lies and she hurts people! Dr. Haruno would never hurt someone she loved so much, especially an innocent child! You know better than to believe that!" I yelled at her a little too roughly. She winced away from me and I knew I would regret that later.

I straightened my stance and rang my hand through my hair. I had to calm down or else I was going to let Neenah win this little verbal argument and end up hurting one of my girls. Temari had kneeled down and scooped up the girls into her arms. I spared a glance at them and both Shukaku and I grimaced at the sight.

"Gaara, finish this quickly please," Temari said with a soft expression on her face as the setting reddish orange sun warmed the side of her face. Nandi and Kandi had their tiny fist clenching her top and their heads tucked under her chin. Kandi was glaring at Neenah, her hard deep blue eyes burning with hate like fire on dry grass.

Nandi was the exact opposite. Her liquid blue eyes were swimming with tears and sadness. She truly believed that Sakura was the bad guy in this situation and that she had killed the baby. Nandi's eyes caught mine and all the hurt she felt poured out in one little tear she let slide down her cheek. I would have to really explain everything to her later.

"Hey, Temari," Neenah called out calmly as Temari began to head inside the office. She turned to Neenah, holding the girls tighter as Neenah continued, ""Did you think after Nekio was gone, the threat on Sakura's life would just go away?"

Temari's body began to shake as realization flashed in her eyes. I turned to her, confused, and back to Neenah.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned Neenah. She just smiled and began to walk away.

"Ask Temari, she knows exactly what I'm talking about," she called over her shoulder and turned the corner, out of view and ear shot. I glared over at Temari's retreating form as she and the girls headed inside with me hot of their heels.

"Temari! Get back here!" I yelled out as she took off up the stairs, Nandi and Kandi giggling at me over her shoulder. They probably thought we were thinking this was so funny. We finally got back into my office and I made sure to lock the door and take Nandi and Kandi out of Temari's arms so I could talk to her and get everything I wanted out of her without her hiding behind them.

"Ok Temari, tell me everything you know NOW!" I said in the best calm voice I could muster between my teeth. She shuddered a little and I sat the girls down on the couch. I sat beside them and we all crossed our arms over out chest. They were just as mad as I was that Temari was holding out information on us.

"OK, look before I start explaining everything, I want you to know I didn't tell you because Sakura didn't want me to tell you _yet_," Temari said raising her hands in surrender. Kandi, even though she couldn't reach the floor, started tapping her foot.

"Sakura… the baby isn't dead. Sakura and her friends went home so that when the baby came, she and her friends and family would help raise that baby. She didn't want to stay here and burden you with a family that you didn't want or need to make your life Gaara," Temari started looking at all of us one at a time. "The thing is, before Sakura found out she was pregnant, we found out that Nekio was a part of an assignation organization going after the best kunoichi from all villages. But they aren't killing them, more like collecting them. I thought that once she was out of the village and at home they would keep coming here to look for her. I was trying to buy her some time so that when they did come after her, the baby would be born already and she could fight without worry. That's not the case anymore.

It seems that Nekio wasn't the only one tailing her at the time and now they know where she is. She's in danger. The family you didn't want is now becoming the family you could have had." Temari glared at me with hateful eyes and walked up to the door.

"I hope your happy Gaara," Temari whispered before breaking the door off and leaving the office, and most likely the building. It hit me. That night, when Sakura had asked me what she was to me, I told her I wanted a family and I acted as if a family would kill me. I acted like a jerk to her and covered it up with sweet words I should have known didn't fool her.

I put my head in my hands and pulled at the red hair on top. Why was I so stupid!

'_**I don't know but you could do worse.'**_

'_Yeah, I guess your right'_

' _**I mean, you could have found out she was pregnant and that the kid might have died and before you go check it out for yourself, you yell at her, threaten to kill her and say you didn't want to see her again. Yea that would be worse, oh yea much that would be waaaay worse'**_ Shukaku piped in a dreamy voice. I growled and rolled my eyes.

'_**Oh wait! You did do that! Damn you are a screw up!' **_Shukaku laughed as if he just remembered everything that happened. The stupid demon was doing this on purpose! I let another growl of frustration loose from my throat.

After a few minutes of I finally looked up to the two seven year olds still sitting beside me being extremely quiet. They were just looking forward, not saying a word. Their faces were void of all emotions.

"Kandi, Nandi," I tried to say but Nandi cut my off quickly. "Why did you lie to us!" She yelled as tears sprang to the corners of her eyes. She still didn't look at me but the redness of her eyes and the growing anger behind her eyes told me she was fuming.

"Nandi I didn't lie to y-" once again I was cut off. This time by Kandi. "Yes you did! You lied to us and everyone else in the kids place! You lied! It's more than just your fault! You caused this whole mess! If you weren't so selfish and so stupid, Dr. Haruno would still be here with her baby! She would be safe! But oh no, you had to be stupid! Now she could die and it's your fault!" She yelled, standing up to get in front of me. She had no tears, just rage. Her little fist were balled up tight and she was shaking.

"Kandi, Nandi, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to but at the time I just said what I thought. I'm sorry," I whispered looking down at Kandi. She didn't seem to be listening. I felt a stinging pain as Kandi's small palm slapped my across the face. She was mad and hurt and I knew that. If she got out her anger like this I would let her.

She hit me again on the other cheek and again I did nothing to stop her. It wasn't until she was about to hit me a fifth time that Nandi actually got up and stopped her. She looked so strong as she held her older sister's wrist in her hands. She wasn't crying or showing the anger I knew she also felt like Kandi. She was calm and collected. Still having her back to me, she spoke.

"Kazekage, go tell whoever you need to that you will be gone for awhile. Kandi, we are going to grandma's and we will pack some clothes and things we need for our trip," Nandi commanded in a voice that shook my bones. I had never seen her like this before. It was usually the other way around. Nandi would be the one crying and breaking down and Kandi would be calm and collected.

"Where are we going?" I asked touching her shoulder. She still didn't look at me.

"_You_ are going to Konoha and getting back Dr. Haruno. And _we_ are going with you to make sure you don't mess this up again," she said to Kandi as she let go of her wrists. I took them into my arms and hugged them tight even though they made no move to hug back.

"Hurry up Kazekage, we leave in two days," Nandi said when I let them go. They walked out the gapped hole in the wall where the door and door fame use to be.

I was going to do that anyway but taking them with me might just make it that much better. I got up and started down the hall to get the necessary papers and other things for our trip. I would get my Sakura back one way or another. And this time Nandi, Kandi, Temari and Kankuro would be there to help me.

Stopping by the billing office, I made a quick arrangement to have all the bills for the new ICU unit to come straight to me. This wouldn't be my gift to getting Sakura back but at least it would be a start. I wasn't going to let her hard work go to waste just because she was gone.

Two things on the waiting table caught my eye as I started to leave. It was the morning mail that had yet to be delivered.

The first one was a letter from the council that had something to do with the new first heir law we were trying to straighten out. The second one though, made my knees weaken and my stomach want to turn inside out and I read the opening lines.

_To Kazekage Gaara Sabaku_

_From Sasuke and Sakura, soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha _

_We invite you to our wedding… _

_**Dun dun dun! Cliffer hanger! Are Sasuke and Sakura really getting married? HELL NO! But if not who sent the letter (maybe Sasuke maybe not)and why is it to a wedding? I DON'T KNOW! …Or do I? You find out NEXT TIME ON A MIDSUMMER'S DREAM!**_

_**Remember please review ^_~**_

_**-Yuuki **_


	4. Month Four: Part Two

_**Hey everyone! Well, I'm so happy about all the reviews I've been getting! I guess you guys really like my story. Well I won't hold you guys out anymore I just have a few little notes to tell you guys.**_

_**Well as you guys know (if you read the ending note of **__**A Midnight Stroll) **__**I had planned on writing this story then half way through, I would start on another. I won't be doing this because I am actually more restricted then I had originally thought I would be after this surgery. Also, I'm really focused on finishing this sequel before I start thinking about another set of characters, plots, and devious senseless sexual content ha-ha! But, as soon as I'm done with this story, another story will follow right after (See the list on my profile of stories to come and help me to pick which one I will start next).**_

_**Second! There is a group out here on fanfiction acting like a bunch of jerks. To my fellow authors, I am giving you this warning. This stupid little kids – known as the Literate Union – are basically abusing authors, putting them down, using word play to say that our stories are of violation of the Terms and Services we all had to agree to (even though if we were really violating our contracts none of us would be here) and forcing them off of fanfiction along with their loyal reviews. These stupid kids are acting as if they run fanfiction when they don't! I'm trying to help out and warn people not to take their crap no matter what they say!**_

_**Thankfully, the people who are not standing up to their crap have started a petition. It is not yet up for people to get signing it but it will be soon! This so called Literate Union is nothing but a group of childish people acting like they are gods and they will quickly be put back into their places!**_

_**ANYWAY, enough about them. Just talking about it is making mad enough to punch my laptop (and I need my laptop to keep updating so I don't want to do that). BACK TO THE CHAPTER!**_

_**I love you all and please keep up with the reviews, you guys are my motivation to keep going and I thank you all for that.**_

_**Enjoy**_

_**-Yuuki ^_~**_

_**{By the way: I want to thank all of you for dealing with me and the review demands. Really, the only reason I have been coming up with the review numbers to by me some time to actually write the next chapter. As you know I'm not doing so well after the surgery and my eyes hurt a lot. I have trouble seeing the computer screen but I'm getting better so no more review demands! I love you all!}**_

* * *

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Four – Month Four: Part Two – Making a Difference and Starting a Journey**_

_**SPOV **_

Naruto and I wanted to go somewhere to celebrate the good news, like a nice restaurant or something, but Ino and Choji wanted to join. Then Tenten and Neji said they didn't want to have anything else to do so they would join also. Hinata and Kiba would have joined too but Hinata's father wanted Hinata home by five so that they could train a few hours before sunset.

Training. Goodness how I missed it so much. I used to train from dawn to eight-thirty, and then go do my double shift in the hospital, help out Shizune in the office, and then some more training from eight at night till about midnight. When the moon was out or the night was cool with rain were my favorite times to train. It made it harder but it was also as if the rain and the night sky were just washing everything away. It was cleansing.

Heading into the dim lit restaurant/bar, all of us took the corner booth in the back. Their shinobi training kicking in, the guys sat with their backs to the wall, so they could watch everything that happened in the bar and who came in. Even though we hated it and felt vulnerable, the girls and I sat on the other side to face our guys.

"Hi, my name is Susan, I'll be your guys waitress today. Is there _anything_ I can get you gentleman this evening?" The tall brunette said as she came up to our table. She was wearing too high heels, a black skirt that barely covered her ass, and a white vest that showed way too much of her bra-less breast. She was completely ignoring our side of the table while shamelessly flirting with our guys!

"Ex_cuse_ us," Tenten sneered while twirling one of her many kunai dangerously around her index finger. I grinned up at her and crackled my knuckles, while Ino put her elbow on the table and started to flex her huge but feminine muscles. The woman Susan's tan skin visibly paled after looking long and hard at each of us. It felt so good to be back with my girls, and even better that I still had the power to make people shake.

Sensing the impending doom, Neji reached across and took Tenten's hand and kunai before kissing her hand. "My fiancé and I would like a beer, miss," Neji said coolly, ignoring the woman in front of us completely. Tenten's anger was quickly forgotten as she leaned in and kissed Neji. That wasn't the case for Ino And I.

"I'd like an Apple Martini and my boyfriend would like a Rum and Coke, right Choji _darling_," Ino said, looking at Choji, daring him to say she was wrong. He nodded, not the least bit intimidated. He had gotten used to Ino's jealousy and took it as a show of her love. It was yet again another sweet moment.

I didn't say anything as Ino and Choji stared. Naruto had yet to say anything. He was looking down at something in his hands. He took a deep breath and stood up, getting a chair and coming back to prop my feet off the ground and started rubbing them for me, even though we were about to eat.

"I would like a beer please and as you can see my girlfriend is pregnant so she will have a plain old coke, free refills are allowed in this place, and since I know my baby would like something now, how about you bring back some warm bread sticks and a salad for my family," Naruto commanded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Shocked was an understatement. Never had I heard Naruto be so politely rude to anyone. I looked at him and he winked, still messaging my swollen left foot. It felt good but it was still a shocker.

Susan left to get what we wanted and we all stayed quiet, watching Naruto tend to my feet. Finally, after about five minutes of just staring at him, Choji broke the silence.

"Dude, you're going to wash your hands before you eat right?" He whispered loud enough for all of us to hear. We all started laughing and talking again like normal. The waitress brought us our drinks and we ordered. I had to admit, having my feet propped up help a lot and after awhile Naruto did wash his hands. It wasn't until he was on his way back that things got ugly.

"Hello everyone," a voice greeted from behind me. I had sensed the chakra as soon as it had entered the restaurant and it seemed familiar but my gut tightened. I knew something wasn't right. I wanted to turn around but the voice beat me to it.

Naruto tensed and took his seat, bringing my feet into his lap. He gave them a tight squeeze; I knew he didn't like the person as much as I did. And today's earlier events did not make things much better.

I nudged Ino hard enough for her to feel it but soft enough so that no one saw the movement. I had told her about this woman and she immediately went on alert. Tenten saw this and so did Neji and Choji. They were all ready to attack this so called Dr. Ivy Hojikin, so that's who she claimed to be.

"Is there room for one more," Ivy asked, again flashing her falsely sweet smile. Ino gave a grunt in reply. It was meant to be a no but she took the chair my feet had been on and sat down. No one said anything as she ordered her food and drink. Ivy acted as if we weren't all sitting there, glaring kunai at her.

"So how are you, Sakura-sama?" she asked in a sultry kind of voice and reached out to touch the bit of stomach peeking out from under my top. One second her hand was there and the next Ino's fingers were wrapped around Ivy's wrist and pulling it around until her arm popped out of its socket.

"You have no need to touch Sakura," Ino sneered as she carefully crawled over me and out of the booth. "Touch her again, look at her wrong, and I'll make sure that plastic surgery made face will meet the concrete floor before you can do anything else." It wasn't a threat. It was a promise that Ino spoke into Ivy's ear, and I knew Ino meant every word she said. When Ino was serious, she would do any and everything that came to her mind.

Shock crossed Ivy's face but it was quickly replaced with amusement. She looked up and Ino and puffed her lips out, sending her an air kiss before it happened. Ivy flicked her wrist and Ino shrieked in pain, grabbing her hand back. Ivy took this time to use her clothed elbow and push it into Ino, right under her breasts.

With the air pushed forcefully out of her lungs, Ino coughed up some blood and began to fall back. I reached up to catch her but, in blinding speed I only thought Sasuke had, Ivy literally back handed me all the way back into Tenten. The force of my impact to Tenten made her crack her head against the wall and pass out, probably with a concussion.

It wasn't the fact that my head was bleeding or that my heart rate was too high for the baby's safety. It was the sheering, burning pain on my cheek. The moment her hand connected with my cheek, the right side of my face felt like it was on fire. I lifted my hand to start healing myself when I felt the dead skin fall off.

Ivy's skin had literally burned the flesh from my cheek. I could feel all the muscles in my cheek sting with the air blowing on to it. If this was what happened to my cheek, what about Ino's wrist? My eyes were blurred with tears from the pain. I didn't see it, but I heard the boys taking action and most likely handling Ivy so that she would leave without burning anyone else.

Blinking most of my tears away, I got off of Tenten's unconscious body and went to tend to Ino. It was like our first mission all over again. The women getting hurt and the men having to clean up, seven years had changed a lot but in some ways, this would always be the same.

Pissed and cursing like Naruto, Ino held her burned wrist gently to her chest. Like my cheek, the skin had completely melted off and the muscle was exposed. But in a little area, where one of her vital veins was supposed to be, her bone was visible. I cursed right along with Ino as I started to heal her. The warmth of my chakra pulling from my fingers and into Ino, healing her, brought a reassuring and comforting feeling. At the same time, Ino released her chakra into my cheek and started to heal me.

We must have sat on our asses, just looking and healing each other, for a good hour. Our food had come and gotten cold. The boys had come back and Neji picked up Tenten, taking her come to rest. I told him to come and get me if she didn't wake up in a few hours.

Finally we were done and we just smiled and laughed. Ino shook her head and leaned back on her hand when I leaned forward against my gut, and spreading my legs in front of me. "Some celebration, huh Sakura? We get crashed by your suspicious doctor, burned by her chakra coated skin, and on top of that, we are now tired and twice as hungry as when we came in," Ino sighed still laughing and shaking her head.

"Yea but I was already hungry enough for three people now I'm craving everything in sight, I can't get up, and I've had to pee for the last fifteen minutes," I added and we both laughed harder, grabbing each other's hands as we use to when we were still in the academy.

"Why didn't you say something, Forehead?" Ino got up and came behind me. She stuck her arms under mine and helped me back to my feet. At the table behind us, I heard Naruto and Choji downing all the food while murmuring something that sounded like 'Our crazy women,' and 'We love them because they're crazy why?'

I waddled away to the bathroom and quickly relieved myself. Gosh, pregnancy made you piss for like 5 minutes straight and twenty times a day. With all the weight on my bladder, I wonder would I one day wake up and have a puddle of piss around my ass.

Laughing at my own stupidity, I washed my hands, ignoring the sound of the door opening again. I looked into the mirror to look at the pinkish scar from Ino's healing but instead, I looked at the elderly woman behind me.

She smiled kindly, just leaning against the wall as she watched me and I watched her. Her straw like silver hair was hanging down to her shoulders. The brown dress she wore went down to the floor and hung on her tiny frame like a giant fuzzy coat.

"Hello," I smiled and turned to her. She nodded her head and took out a small medical I.D. bracelet with her birthday, June 30th 1967, the antibiotics she was allergic to. It also stated her name, and that she was a mute.

Name: Angie Kuntles Surgery date: 5-17-84. Allergies: Penicillin

"My name is Dr. Sakura Haruno. I'm sorry if you saw the ugly fight in there earlier. I don't know if you can understand me or not but I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions? Were you mute before or after your surgery?" I asked as I gently reach out to touch her chin. As my finger tips grazed the wrinkles on her cheek, another woman joined us in the small bathroom.

"Mrs. Kuntles are you ok in here?" she asked as she looked between the two of us. She was a little older than me and had her chocolate hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The colorful scrubs she wore told her that she was a nurse and that fact that she wasn't working in the hospital right now also let me know she was a Home Health Nurse.

"Hi, I'm Mary. Sorry if she bothered you. She's a mute and she only understands some lip reading and Sign Language," Mary explained and she slung her arm softly over Mrs. Kuntles shoulders. I nodded and went to speak when Mary gasped in shock. "Wait a minute! That pink hair and green eyes… You're Dr. Haruno! Oh my goodness! Ma'am it's been so long since anyone has seen you, when did you get back from your mission, if I may ask?"

"I got about a month and half ago but due to this," I said patting my stomach, "I won't be returning to work for awhile." She nodded understandingly and Mrs. Kuntles took my hand. I gave her a light squeeze and walked with her out the bathroom door, Mary in tow behind us.

"If it's ok with you Mary, I would like to talk to Mrs. Kuntles for awhile," I asked looking down at Mrs. Kuntles small, fragile form. We sat in the booth beside Naruto and the others. They gave me a questioning look but I made it no mind. Something about this woman, it made me feel so … I don't know. But it was a good feeling. The baby even seemed to like it.

For the next half hour or so, I would ask a question and Mary would sign it to Mrs. Kuntles. Then, Mrs. Kuntles would answer back in sign language and Mary would translate it for me. It kept going on as such and I learned so much. Like the fact that Mrs. Kuntles had lost her vocal cords in surgery. It was an accident but it had happened. Her husband had died a few years before her accident by a heart attack. He had high blood pressure and apparently he loved salt.

It continued on like that until Mrs. Kuntles stopping answering. She just stared at my stomach, moving toward it as if it were calling to her.

She got on her knees in front of me, not paying attention to Mary or me calling to her. Naruto was almost out of his seat, eyeing Mrs. Kuntles with suspicion. I tried to wave him away but he shook his head and came over to sit by me with his arm slung around my shoulders.

Mrs. Kuntles had pressed her ear to my belly, listening with her eyes closed and her boney fingers petting at my stretch marks. She stayed like that for what seemed like forever. I thought she was simply listening to the baby moving around. I was wrong. Something was wrong.

Mrs. Kuntles' eyes shot open with panic and she fell back on her butt. Her breath was uneven and sweat started to cover her paled face. I reached out to help her but she smacked my hands away. Mrs. Kuntles quickly got back on her knees and pressed her head against my stomach roughly. With shaking hands, she pressed and poked hard at different areas on my stomach. Naruto was becoming restless beside me. He was pressing me into his side, whispering into my ear that he should hit the 'old bat' and get out of here.

I shook my head no and looked over to Ino, silently asking what was happening. She shrugged, not knowing either but continued to watch and try to figure it out. Choji was at a loss. I don't think he understood what was happening at all.

The pressing into my stomach got harder and I tried to prey Mrs. Kuntles' hands off but she shook her head no. Finally she let go of me and I helped her to her feet. She looked at me, slightly confused. Mrs. Kuntles touched the sandy trail leading to my belly button and she shook her head again. Was she warning me? Was she scared? What did she hear or feel that got her so stern and worried suddenly?

Mrs. Kuntles started sighing something quickly as Mary told us what she said. "She says…the baby you carry… will die. She says that you will die with it. She sees a bad omen in the sand… that covers your belly. She sees the death and blood of you and your unborn child. She says that if you are not careful the omen will get worse and more will suffer…"

Everyone was silent. What was this old woman trying to say? What was happening? How did she know all this? Or was she simply trying to get me to give up the birth of my child? Why did this crap keep happening!

No my baby will not die! I may die but not my baby! Never!

"It's time to go Mrs. Kuntles," Mary said from behind her. She placed her hand on Mrs. Kuntles shoulder and they walked out the restaurant without another word or glace at me or anyone else.

"If this is the kind of crap that's going to happen every time we go out with you, we aren't coming anymore," Choji bellowed, clearing pissed with all the evenings 'excitement'.

"I'm sorry Choji. I didn't mean for all this to happen," I apologized with a slight bow. If I had known any of this would happen, I wouldn't have had them come along. I never want to see my friends hurt again over my selfishness.

"It's ok Sakura. But next time, I'm picking the place to eat," he laughed and hugged Ino from behind. Choji paid for all the four of us and Neji had paid before he left. We ended up walking around the village, chatting and remembering old times. Ino kept eyeing me every few minutes, whispering reassurance that the old woman didn't know what she was talking about. I thanked her and we kept on walking. We went home when my feet started to hurt again.

Naruto wanted to carry me to our home but I told him no. I didn't want him hurting his back because of me. He told me I was crazy and that I didn't weigh that much but I still didn't let him carry me. Naruto finally gave up but insisted I take his jacket. It was getting cold out now that the sun was setting.

We got home just before the last rays of light disappeared behind the Hokage Mountain. Even though we had just finished eating a little over an hour ago, I was hungry again. So was Naruto but not as much as me.

"I figured you would be," Naruto said smiling as he pulled out some bento boxes full of Ichiraku Ramen. I grinned and my mouth started to water instantly. I use to hate the stuff but since I've been pregnant, Ichiraku is one of the few foods I could eat without throwing it back up in an hour or two.

"Go take a shower and get ready for bed. I'll heat up the ramen again so when you get out you and I can watch a movie and eat before heading off to bed," Naruto stated without room for argument. He really did take such good care of me. I got in the shower without complaint.

He made me forget the pain in my heart where Gaara's love was supposed to be. But even then, Naruto only stopped the pain for a little while. It's time like this, when I'm in the shower and have time to think and pet my stomach, that the pain comes back full force and my heart pounds in my ears with pain.

Sometimes the pain would come so suddenly, and with so much force, that all I could do is lean against the shower wall and cry. Others, the tears would just come silently. But always, without fail, my baby would seem to sense my need for comfort. It would nudge its little hands gently across the top of my stomach, dragging it all the way across so that if I wanted to, I could just reach out and hold its hand there.

It was at those times, when my baby would remind me that I'm not alone. I wasn't with the one I truly wanted but then again I still had it and everything would be ok. I had someone wonderful by my side, willing to take care of both of us. We had wonderful people willing to defend and help us along.

We're not alone.

"Sakura," Naruto's voice broken in from behind the door softly. I turned off the water quickly covered in the only towel big enough to cover all of me before letting Naruto into the small bathroom. He smiled and handed me some dry clothes.

"Thanks, I forgot them," I admit sheepishly. He nodded and I turned around to get dressed but he didn't leave. Tucking the towel back around me tightly, I looked over my shoulder at Naruto watching me.

"Naruto?"

"Sakura… Are you ok?" He asked in a whisper. I nodded but he didn't buy it. Naruto's deep blue eyes finally met mine as he came closer to me. His arms wrapped around me slowly, bringing me into his warm chest. He hand cupped my wet hair and pushed my head into his shoulder.

"Sakura, I know that the old woman scared you and I know leaving Gaara behind was very hard for you and I know that I am not your first choice, but to have you here with me, I'll protect you and for you to want to be with me, I don't mind being your second choice," he whispered into my ear as he embraced me tighter.

"I'm sorry that you had to be my second choice but – "

"No don't be sorry. I'm not so please just be happy with me?" That's all he wanted. Was for me to be happy, with him. I finally understood. He wanted me and him to happy, together. He wanted us and the baby to be the family he never got a chance to be with. He wanted for this baby not to suffer as he had.

All I could do is nod as he silently held me and rocked me back and forth. After a few minutes he let me go so I could get into my clothes.

"Don't forget to dry your hair! I don't want you sick," Naruto called as he went and finished warming the ramen. We met back up on the bed. While we slurped down our ramen we watched a movie called_ Pride and Prejudice. _

I couldn't help but think back about what Mrs. Kuntles had said in the restaurant. I know it couldn't be but if by any chance this omen she was talking about was true, I would do anything in my power to protect my baby, even if it cost my life.

It was a good movie but Naruto ended up falling asleep as soon as he was done eating. I got up and turned off the movie. I didn't want Naruto to leave the bed tonight so instead of waking him up and simple pushed him over a little and got in. I think he was still awake because as soon as I was in a comfortable position, he curled up behind me and hugged me to his chest.

* * *

_**GPOV**_

"I spy with my little eye…"

"Sand"

"Oh! You did it again! Ok I spy with – "

"Sand"

"OH MY GOODNESS! Kankuro-sama you did it again! Are you reading my mind? Ok now… I spy wi-"

"SAND!"

"No... It was a rock" Nandi said pointing to the pebble a few feet away. "Kankuro-sama, are you losing your mind reading skills?" Kankuro growled in reply as he held onto Nandi's legs. She was sitting on the top of his pack while Kandi sat on my gourd. They weren't that heavy so the added weight was barely noticed.

Temari was holding their pack so if one of them needed anything she had it ready for them. She really had grown attached to them, like Sakura and I had.

"Ok Kankuro-sama, I spy with my little eye something red!"

"Sand on fire?"

"No silly! Kazekage-sama's red hair!" She grinned looking at me and I smiled back. Reaching for her hand I took it and kissed the back of it gently. Then did the same with Kandi's hand.

"Girls you don't have to call me that anymore," I told them. It was so formal and these girls were like my family now. I wouldn't allow it anymore.

"Ok Gaara-ojisan," Kandi said, playing with my hair. I liked that. I was uncle now. I liked it. A lot.

"That means I get to play I spy with Kankuro-ojisan!" Nandi yelled pulling at Kankuro's hood. He growled in annoyance but Nandi either didn't hear him or just plain didn't care.

Because we had the girls, we would have to stop a lot more often than we were use to but we didn't mind (At least Temari and I didn't mind). We also had to walk instead of running but that was also fine. Gave us time to relax. Us walking gave me five days to think and walk instead of three days to panic and run.

"Why don't we switch Gaara?" Kankuro pleaded when Nandi began another round of 'I Spy'. I shook my head and watched Nandi on top of Kankuro's shoulders. Nandi had finally forgiven me and was speaking to me again but she made me promise her two things. One, I would never be a 'stupid dummy head' again. And two, I would let her and Kankuro play the whole way to Konoha and the whole way back to Suna. It was going to be a long journey for Kankuro.

It had already started out very interesting.

When we went to pick up the girls, Kankuro thought it would be cute to call Kandi and Nandi 'cute with their puny arms and over sized packs'. Kandi took offence and lost her little temper. She ended up kicking Kankuro in the shin. In return, Kankuro got mad and hit her in the head. Kandi cringed and held her head. Temari got mad at Kankuro for hitting Kandi so hard and picked up a brick and slapped him across the face with all her strength. Since then, Kankuro hasn't talked to Temari or Kandi but every time he glares at Kandi, Temari hits him again.

Yeah, just another typical day.

"Temari-obasan, can I have some water?" Kandi asked as she jumped off my gourd to walk by Temari. She smiled and took one of the canteens out of her pack and handed it over to Kandi. Kandi took a few swigs from it and then handed it back, taking Temari's hand in the process.

Soon I'd be with my Sakura again. That is, if she was still willing to have me.

I thumbed the supposed _Uchiha Wedding Invitation. _Are they really getting married? And if they were, why would Sakura send me an invite? I mean, granted I was mean as hell to her before she left and I said something I shouldn't have but hell I was mad and I thought our baby died. Yes, she deserved happiness but would she really be so upset with me that she wanted to rub it in my face?

That Sakura I knew wouldn't go so low to do that but then again, she's _still_ pregnant, most likely pissed, and raging with hormones. Anything was possible but the whole in my heart burned into ash as I thought of the possibility that maybe…just maybe…

She had moved on.

It was possible, and I wouldn't be mad at her for moving on after me saying _'if I see you again I'll kill you.'_ The thing that just wasn't sitting right with me was the fact that she had moved on to that Uchiha _Bastard!_

Why in the Land of Wind and Fire had she gone back to him of all people! He wasn't even human! He was some sort of half snake half pervert pedophile like his mentor! Besides all that, he had left her over eight years ago! Just because I wasn't there didn't mean news didn't travel. I knew all about that night she was left on the bench by _him_. I knew that he had treated her wrong despite being on the same team with her! Sakura had given her heart to him eight years ago and he took a bite out of it then spit back in her face before throwing the rest in the trash!

But despite all that my girl had been through, she held out strong. She started training with Lady Hokage-sama and slowly but surely, healed her own heart. She mended it and duck taped it together the best she could and by the time she reached her nineteenth birthday, she was almost as good as new.

Then she fell right into my lap. It was tough for awhile but we made it through and we were happy for a short time. Then the stupid battle came, and I carelessly got her pregnant and effectively scared her into thinking I didn't want the baby anymore and she faked the baby's suicide. The heart she had worked hard to fix and protect, I broke again with two minutes of anger and confusion.

'_Was it me that drove her right back into the arms of that monstrosity?'_

'_**Yeah you're an asshole. It's official. And yes, it might just have been you who pushed her into his arms. Or **__**maybe**__**, you could stop thinking about it and making stupid insinuations and just go see for yourself? '**_

'_What's your problem? You're usually grinning with glee off of my misery. What gives?'_

'_**What gives is that fact that the one person we were happy with just might have left us because you were too hot headed to shut the hell up! I want her back and instead your sitting here, taking your oh so sweet time going to her village while she's probably making wedding plans and fu-'**_

'_I already know that! So help me if you don't shut up with that thought I will kill you!'_

'_**How? Mentally strangle me?'**_

'_I can work on it'_

'_**Shut up'**_

'_Bite me'_

'_**Gladly!'**_

"Ouch! That little bugger actually bit me!"

"What bug Ojisan?" Kandi said looking up at me. I looked around and everyone had stopped, looking at me half crazed.

"The bug in my hair," I covered as we slowly started walking again. Kandi jumped up and climbed back to the top of my gourd. It wasn't until I felt her little hands combing through my hair that I realized she wasn't just up there to sit.

"I don't see a bug Ojisan. Did it fly away?" Kami I wish it would but my luck wasn't that good. Sighing heavily, I just nodded as Shukaku laughed in my head. He said some other crap but I didn't pay any attention.

The sun was just reaching over head when I finally called everyone to a rest. The girls needed to rest and Kankuro needed a break from Temari's brick smacking. We sat, and Temari, Kankuro and I watched the girls play and roll around in the sand for awhile.

"So what's the plan?" Temari questioned as she watched Kandi throw herself down into the small hill of sand she had gathered. I shrugged and kept my eyes on them.

"So we're just going to show up in Konoha, go talk to Lady Hokage-sama about the new marriage and heir law we want to pass throughout the shinobi world, see Sakura and Sasuke together, and leave?"

"She's got a point Gaara," Kankuro piped in, "Yes, technically we do have legit reason to be there but what are you going to do _when_ you see her? You want her back don't you? That's why you made all this bull shit up right?"

"First off, it's not bull shit," I told him in a stern whisper so the girls wouldn't hear us, "This law, if passed, will ensure that the shinobi will keep their family line going. That way, should something happen, they still have a son at home to continue their family name. Second, of course I want her back I just don't know what I'll do yet…"

Temari put her hand on my shoulder and sighed and watched Nandi jump on Kandi's back causing them to fall. We all let out a small laugh when Kandi got mad and grabbed her sister by the back of her shirt and threw her into the sand.

"Gaara, don't worry about it. If she still loves you and truly wants this family like I know she does, all you have to do it prove to her that your love for her is still strong," Temari said, getting up and pulling the girls away from each other. Kandi had fisted her hand in Nandi's hair while Nandi was biting at her neck.

Temari threw her pack down, trying to get Nandi's teeth from Kandi's arm. I didn't pay much attention to her pack until the contains poured out over the sand. Wrapped in a green foam tissue for protection, was an arm sized test tube. Why would Temari have a test tube in her pack?

I picked it up and started to unwrap it slowly, not sure what I might find. Instead of some weird liquid or creature, I found the flower – the Peruvian Blossom – that had brought Sakura to me in the first place.

It's wide beautiful bluish yellow petals were spread out, a sign that it was in full bloom. The middle was like a sun flower, big and brown. The stem seemed to go on forever with multiple spiked and harden leaves coming out everywhere. It floated there in the middle of the yellowish liquid filled test tube.

This little flower brought the best thing that ever happened to me. But still, why did Temari have it? Looking around, I noticed she had gotten the girls to stop fighting and was now collecting her things back into her pack. Eyeing me, she smiled as I covered the flower back up in the foam.

"I brought it for Tsunade-sama," Temari answered my unspoken question. Packing the flower back into her pack and slinging it over her shoulders, she continued, "I figured that since Tsunade-sama liked this flower so much, I could bring it as a peace offering. Sort of sweeten the deal of us staying for awhile."

I nodded and jogged behind Kandi, picking her up from behind and throwing her back on my gourd. Kankuro already had Nandi on her shoulders but before she could start her games again, Kandi spoke up.

"Kankuro-ojisan, can we all play a game?" She asked

"Sure what game would you like?" He answered relief evident in his eyes.

"Uh… how about…I SPY!" Kankuro groaned in defeat as the girls giggled and high-fived each other. They were clever and devious, these two.

"I'll go first! I spy with my little eye something black and mad!" Kandi said with a mischievous voice looking directly at Kankuro. He grunted something that sounded like 'pain in the ass that rhymes with andi…' I kicked him and with a yelp and shut up quickly.

"Oh, I know sister! It's Kankuro-ojisan!" Nandi said clapping her hands. "Ok my turn! I spy with my little eye…"

"Sand"

"Yay Kankuro-ojisan is correct! Now it's your turn!"Nandi said grinning as she tugged on his hood again. I knew exactly what he was going to say and with a quick kick, he shut up again.

"Fine! I spy with my little eyes something red and annoying with sand!" Kankuro yelled looked at me with his make up slightly smudged due to all his sweat. I grinned and looked at him.

"Oh, Kankuro-_ojisan,_ would you happen to be talking about me?" I asked in an innocent voice. He mumbled in anger as Kandi declared it to me mine turn.

"I spy with my little eye," I started trying to look around but all I saw was sand. "Something sunburned." Looking back at Temari, her usually evenly tanned skin had blotches of red and deep brown all over her arms and face.

"It looks like a peach with leopard spots." I hinted and nudged Kankuro. He looked back and tried to hide his laugh but when the girls saw, all three of them cracked up.

"What are you all laughing about?" Temari asked, oblivious to the fact that she was the answer to her own question. I shook my head, not wanting to upset her but Kankuro, with his big mouth, had other ideas.

"It's you peaches! Look at you! Did someone forget to put one some sun block, hmm?" Kankuro laughed, pointing to the spot that marred Temari's skin. She stared down at herself, horrified. True, it was funny the way she looked and we made fun of her for tiny bit, but Nandi, Kandi, and I knew when to give up. Temari's temper was not one to me messed with. Kankuro, however, had much to learn.

"SHUT UP YOU NEKO LOOKING, MAKE UP WEARING HAG! AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON MAKE UP TO MYSELF FEEL PRETTY NOW DO I KANKURO!" Temari bellowed, taking Kankuro's ear into her death grip. I sent my sand to quickly get Nandi off his shoulders and held both hers in my arms as Temari continued her rant.

"Gaara-ojisan, will Kankuro be alive tomorrow?" Nandi asked honestly. I shrugged and backed away slowly.

"If he's lucky, she'll leave him with at least some skin left," I told her patting her head.

"I spy with my little eye someone about to get there a-!" Temari screamed as I covered the girls ears. Yeah, this was going to be a long journey.

* * *

_**Well that's it but if I got the **__**honorifics **__**wrong please let me know right away so I can correct them ok? Also, I really don't like Sasuke but I would never really bash him. For Gaara's whole rant to work I had to put it in his point of view. So you know come on, what would you think about that guy/girl who crushed your gf's/bf's heart? Anyway just wanted to say sorry to all the semi and all the way Sasuke fans. I love you all and please send me a review ^-^**_

_**I love you all and tell me what you think about this chapter ok? The next chapter, I'm sure you all will hate me but I know you'll love the chapter! Enjoy!**_

_**-Yuuki **_


	5. Month Five: Part One

_**Hey, what's up everyone? Thanks for the reviews and all the concern about my health. I actually have some…well I can't call it good or bad but its news either way. I'm going to be entered in to some sort of medical research at the Intern Research Study Lab in my town. Lucky me, I get a bar code and number. Yay, in one week I will officially be a lab rat. I wonder if the cheese is free.**_

_**Yea anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it but, I'm warning you now, some characters that you have come to like a lot will be acting like butt cracks and some parts you will not understand until I few chapters from now. But, do not fear, everything will come into the light once you actually think about it, or read some more chapters. **_

_**Also I have added someone's POV to the end of the Chapter that I know you will enjoy. I wanted to keep it a secret for a few more chapters but I couldn't wait anymore! So please enjoy your surprises! I won't be able to update for while due to some person stuff but this should hold you guys off for awhile at least.**_

_**Either way, please enjoy!**_

_**-Yuuki ^_~**_

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Five – Month Five: Part One – Reunions and Rude Revelations**_

_**Unknown POV**_

As I looked down at the woman's pink hair sway in the breeze, the only thing I could think of was the anger and anticipation bubbling under my skin. Oh, how I would love to ring her little ivory neck, effectively cutting off precious oxygen to her, as well as her baby's lungs.

But I had orders. I couldn't kill her. Not yet at least. She had to come back with me alive. What use would she be if she was already dead before we could get her and the rest of the woman we needed? No, she had to be alive. But even then, she had the defense of the sand monster with her constantly. She would be more difficult to take care of than the rest of the woman.

Her friend, Ino Yamanaka, came to sit with her. They started talking as I smiled. How lucky was I? My next assignment was sitting right there with my current assignment. If only, oh if only, I could act now. I would take them both out and be half way to the borders by midnight!

The infamous Sasuke Uchiha came up behind them, causing trouble again. Apparently, he wanted Sakura's baby gone as much as I do. But his reasons were different than mine. The only reason he wanted this death is because it would mean Sakura would be back to his number one candidate and the Konoha Elders wouldn't make him marry that horse faced woman. If Sakura was suddenly to have a miscarriage, it would give Sasuke full right to take her as his wife.

Little did he know, his pathetic and selfish ways would cause her death. The fool's every move were slowly bringing her closer and closer to her death. Every attempt on her he made, gave me one more piece of information to take her down easily and swiftly.

Getting up, I quickly reformed my masking jutsu. It wouldn't do if someone found out I wasn't really who I said I was now would it? I laughed to myself softly and after a few minutes, entered Konoha's Hospital front door.

It was time for my shift.

* * *

_**Sakura's POV**_

"I can't wait till tonight!" Ino squealed in my ear as she sat on the bench with me. I smiled at her and punched her arm playfully. Choji had asked her to come to one of his family dinners and it was the first time Ino would be meeting _all_ of his family. She was so excited but you could see the nerves hiding in her eyes.

"Don't worry Ino. Now, what are you going to wear?" I asked as she went into a full blown rampage about how her and her closet had an 'argument.' I don't know how it happened, but apparently every outfit Ino owns has spontaneously combusted into flames and now she has nothing to wear. Ino started talking a mile a minute about all the shops she wanted to visit when I felt someone looking at me.

I turned just in time to see Sasuke walking away from us. He usually would come up to me but today he didn't, why? Confused, I turned my attention back to Ino. She didn't even notice I wasn't listening. Ha, typical Ino.

Suddenly, Ino grabbed my wrist and started dragging me down the street. I tried to keep up ,and considering I have forty pounds of water and a baby attached to my front side, I was doing pretty well.

"Come on Sakura, hurry up! Just because you look like a whale, doesn't mean you have to act like one!" I yanked Ino back and glared at her, but all she did was giggle and continue to drag me into some really fancy dress shop.

Instantly, Ino went right over to the dress rack that seemed to scream 'short and tight.' She grabbed a few and went to try them on, modeling them for me in front of three long mirrors. Then, as soon as she was done, she paid for two dresses and dragged me into another store. It continued like that for two hours until she dragged me into a store that looked different. It had baby clothes and items scattered all over. Moms-to-be and moms with their kids were walking around calmly.

"I haven't gotten anything for you yet and I figured we can pick out whatever you want now and put it away for later. Then whatever you need right now, I'll get for you today. I arranged Shikamaru and Kiba to come down in case we need them for heavy lifting." I looked at Ino questioningly and all she did was smiled and slowly made her way to the baby cribs.

Trust Ino to pick out the best of the best. There was no way I could pay for any of this stuff today; I would have to go back to working my double shifts soon. Naruto was a great provider, but the guilt of having him do _everything_ was becoming too much.

"Oh Sakura look at this!" Ino called from behind me. I followed her voice and stopped, looking at the crib in front of her. It was a forest green color. It wasn't overly huge or too tiny but just perfect for a new born or a baby a few months old. It was an old fashioned look to it when the hood went up over the front have and a veil covered the bottom half. It had a red trim around the sides with swirls dug into it. Leaves were dancing all along the sides and were called in autumn colors. The inside was even better. The little mattress was really soft and foamy so that baby wouldn't sleep so stiffly but would still have the firmness that would remind it of the womb. The mattress was covered in a soft baby green fleece sheet and so were the walls of the crib. It was perfect.

"This is my gift to you," Ino whispered to me as she traced the design of crib with her finger tips. I almost nodded when I saw the price printed on the wall beside it. It was 13000 yen!

"No Ino I can't let you buy this for me!"

"Why not," she questioned as she waved over one of the store attendants.

"Because for one, it cost two month worth's of your hospital pay! And two, I still have four months for the baby to come!" I tried to reason with her as she told the guy to bring it to the counter for check out. she shook her head and started looking through the baby clothes.

"So what? You'll still need it sooner or later and you might as well start baby proofing the apartment and adding the baby furniture," Ino said simply as she nodded for another attendant to grab the matching changing table to the crib. She grabbed a little white jumper and pressed it against my stomach. "Oh look, it says _'I'm cute, pay attention to me.'_ Ha, that's funny. We're definitely getting this."

"Ino are you listening to me? This is too much! What happened to just looking at a few things to get for later?" I asked shaking her to make her look at me. She shrugged me off and grabbed some baby toys along with some more little jumpers in all sorts of colors.

"No I'm not. I want to spoil my god child and I will do so whether you like it or not. Now, have you and Naruto made any room in the apartment for the baby yet?" She asked picking up a purple bib that said, '_I'm so sexy I make milk stains look hot.' _

"No not yet," I answered, giving up for the time being. She grinned at me when I didn't argue and continued walking around the store. I went to the bathroom for two minutes and when I came back, she was checking out over 25000 yen worth of baby stuff. That was more than all the other stores we visited today combined! This woman was crazy!

"Ino, what are you doing!" I yelled at her as she handed over the cash.

"What? It's daddy's money anyway," Ino grinned and turned her back on me.

"Woman, are you crazy!" Someone called from behind us. I looked back to see Kiba and Shikamaru standing at the front door, eyes wide and pale faced. They came up to us and both of them gave my stomach a rub before glaring down at Ino and all her bags and boxes.

"I tried to stop her boys," I said defensively.

"Not hard enough. Ino, how the hell are we supposed to carry all this crap!" Kiba yelled out at her as Shikamaru shook his head and started gathering bags in his arms.

"Your problem, not mine," Ino stated simply and grabbed a few bags, handing them to me and then took the bags with her dresses in it. "By the way, there is also a crib and matching changing table that you need to get too," Ino threw over her shoulder as we walked out the door. I could hear Kiba yelling a chain of profanities as Shikamaru tried to calm him down. A few minutes later, Both Kiba and Shikamaru were following me and Ino to Naruto's apartment. Kiba has the box with the crib over his shoulder and the bags with baby toys while Shikamaru lagged behind with the changing table in his arms and his fingers barely hanging on to the bags with the baby clothes in them.

"Shikamaru, you drop those bags and I'll make you hand wash each outfit, fold and put them away! You hear me!" Ino called out to him and he grunted back. Kiba mumbled something but quickly shut up when Ino shot him a glare. Poor boys.

I thanked the boys by treating them to Ichiraku Ramen after they put everything in the apartment. Ino spent a few hours with me, clearing out drawers and space by the bed for the crib and changing table. She was so excited about everything. I had always joked with Ino that she would never be my kids Godmother because she would try to turn them into little pageant queens/kings. But, seeing her swoop around the room with all the baby clothes and toys, I knew she would be a wonderful mother and godmother.

"I'll see you tomorrow, ok Forehead? Remember, I got to do my shift at the hospital while you're in the office with Tsunade-sama, but I'll be there to pick you up for your doctor's appointment, I promise." Ino gave me a stern look as she tucked me in for my usual mid day nap. I rolled my eyes at her; I swear she thought I was the baby and not the incubator.

"Yes mother dearest," I teased and yawned a goodbye, listening for her to close the door and lock up before really letting my mind drift off. I was truly tired but for some reason, my mind was nagging at me. Something wasn't right.

A shadow moved past the blinds of the window above me. It was probably just a bird or something but with Naruto away on a mission, it made me kind of nervous. I took a deep breath and let my mind slowly fuzz out into sleep land.

The last thing I remember before passing out is feeling the baby move inside me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around my belly before going under.

The first thing that registered in my mind was the stinging pain in my abdomen and chest. I shot up and bit my lip as hard as I could so I wouldn't scream. The heavy arm draped over my waist pulled on me a little but I pushed it up and rushed to the bathroom.

"Sakura, are you ok?" Naruto called to me. I buried my head in the toilet, unable to answer. Did I eat anything bad today? I tried to remember but all I had earlier was a bagel and some ramen. I kept emptying my stomach while I tried to think if I had eaten anything else.

Flushing the toilet, I washed my hands and face. A waxy sweat head set on my chest and face and the cool water help a lot as I washed off slightly. I was about to leave when I purple blob peaked out from under my shirt.

I gasped as I lifted my shirt. What happened while I was asleep? As I lifted my shirt higher and higher, the damage only got worse. There were huge purple and green bruises on the sides of my belly as well as my chest. The pain of it must have woken me up. Was I bleeding internally?

I checked the toilet but there was no blood so I couldn't be. I went to pee real quickly, still no blood. Maybe the baby was just getting stronger. Poked a little at the bruises and winced. They really hurt badly. I started remembering the stories about how Gaara was born and realization finally hit me.

The baby was protecting itself with sand. The only _thing_ I could think of that was sand related, and could be passed like this was Shukaku. Gaara's mother died before Shukaku took over Gaara's body was as a baby and ripped him from her body. What if that were to happen to me?

I looked down at the bruises one last time and nodded to myself. If that was to be my fate, then so be it. I loved this baby and there was nothing I wouldn't do to make sure it lived as happy of a life as it possibly could. Starting to heal the bruises away to the best of my ability, I sat on the toilet for a few minutes until the black and green turned to light reds and pinks.

I heard Naruto start to get out of bed and I quickly grabbed one of his shirts from the dirt hamper and pulled it over me. He stepped into the bathroom just as I wrapped a blanket around myself. I smiled at him, rinsing the vomit from my mouth before going to hug him tight.

"You left Sunday on a mission and your back already? Did you do really good?" I asked as he scratched his head and smiled down at me. All he did was nod and yawn. I was going to say something else but he walked over to the toilet and started unzipping his pants.

"Naruto! At least wait till I leave first!" I yelled at him as I walked out, but I could already hear him letting loose.

"Sorry Sakura, I had to drain the sea monster," he teased as he flushed and washed his hands. "So are you ok? You were fine when I got home and I took a nap with you but then you started groaning in your sleep. I didn't think anything of it until you bolted out of bed and started gagging up your liver."

"Thanks, but I'm alright. I think I just ate something sour and the baby didn't like it so he 'returned to sender' so to speak," I laughed and sat back on the bed. I could see from the dim light peeking from behind the closed blinds that I had slept far longer than I usually did. I glanced at the clock and sure enough, it was almost five o' clock in the afternoon.

"You must have really had an active morning. You were out cold," Naruto commented as he came from the bathroom.

"Yeah, Ino took me baby shopping with her," I told him as I nodded to the crib and changing table. He nodded and smiled warmly down at my belly, coming over to sit next to me.

"I got to remember to thank her. I saw all the toys in the living room and the clothes in the dresser. At least one thing is for certain, this baby will have a sense of style and humor," Naruto laughed as he wrapped the blanket around my shoulders tighter and reached over the bed to get me some socks. "Come on, today is Tuesday, which means, dinner with the old lady."

"Mom will be happy to see us," I smiled as I thought of her baby talking to my stomach again. Mom was obsessed about this baby more than Ino was. She was already talking about summer training sessions and entering the baby in the Academy. She had even one of her friends sew up a mini outfit like hers with the matching gambling jacket if it's a girl and a Hokage outfit if it was a boy.

"She's just happy that she has Kakashi to drink with her and me and you to stuff her cooking down," Naruto said as he grabbed a shirt and his orange jacket. I laughed and nodded trying to reach down for my shoes. Naruto turned around and started laughing at me as I tried to pull my foot up in my lap. He helped me into my comfortable plush flats. He also helped me up and into the bathroom, laying my stretchy pregnancy pants on the sink. It took me a minute to put them on but I was done and ready in no time.

"Let's go see Obaa-san," Naruto spoke into my stomach and grabbed his keys. We walked, more like slowly waddled, to the Hokage Tower. When we finally got there, I made it up about four stairs until I finally gave up, exhausted. Damn all this extra weight. Maybe I would take Ino up on the pool exercise program. It was supposed to keep you healthy, strong, and in shape but safe for the baby.

Naruto laughed from behind me, putting his hands on my lower back. He tried to push me up a few more stairs but I couldn't do it. The stairs were too narrow and steep; I couldn't lift my leg that high up without bumping into my belly button. I ended up letting Naruto carry me up the rest of the way. It pissed me off and he kept teasing me by saying his arms were going to give out with so much weight.

Once we got to the top floor, Naruto put me down and kissed my cheek, apologizing for being mean. He said he had a surprise for me and I instantly brightened up, thinking about sugar bread waiting for me behind the door to Mom's living area.

That wasn't exactly the surprise.

"Wow, Daddy's Little Girl isn't so little anymore," an older male voice commented from behind me. I turned and hugged Papa Kakashi, swatting him on the arm for his crude joke about my weight. I hadn't seen him in almost a month and a half. Papa Kakashi had been on an S rank mission with Genma-senpai and must have just gotten back recently.

"Ohayo Papa Kakashi," I greeted and let him go. He patted my head, ruffling my hair and kissed my forehead.

"How have you been baby girl? I hear you have your prenatal care visit tomorrow," He said as Naruto knocked on Mom's door. It takes a minute but mom finally answers the door. I barely had time to notice that she was even there before her usual babbling started.

"Sakura I missed you so much! How are you and my future grandchild?" Mom half yelled, half asked as she engulfed me into her embrace. I was use to being oxygen deprived when she hugged my face into her giant chest but I don't think the baby enjoyed it all too much. I felt the baby kick at my gut and into Mom.

Mom backed up, surprised for a moment, and then bent down to rub my stomach. "Hey little person, it's not nice to kick people, especially if the person is your grandmother. Now little one, are you hungry?" She asked my stomach, honestly expecting the baby to respond back. And it did.

I laughed a little as I felt the baby shift inside of me and everyone else joined me as they saw the baby's hand stretch across the top of my stomach. I guess it was kind of cramped in there with all the extra room being taken up by sand. Still, if the baby kept stretching out like that, the marks and bruises would become more and more obvious. Healing could only do so much.

Surprisingly, Mom made something simple but delicious for all of us – and one of my personal favorites. I loved Shrimp Fried Rice but ever since I got pregnant, I haven't been able to eat it unless the baby was in a good mood. I take a few bites and surprisingly the baby doesn't make me vomit it back up.

After dinner, Naruto goes home. I want to stay with Mom tonight. I miss her a lot and we haven't spent a night together since my first week back. Before we turn in though, Papa Kakashi and I go on a walk.

"So, how is the little one?" He asks motioning down to my stomach.

"Little he or she is fine," I answer rubbing my stomach. Whatever the baby is doing, it's moving around a lot. Good, it's getting a lot of exercise.

"You fine months along. Have you got everything you need for when it arrives?" I knew it. Papa Kakashi wanted to take me shopping. I guess I should be happy about that but I didn't like that he was spoiling me. I didn't want to get use to it.

"I don't have everything but Ino took me out today for some toys, cloths, and a crib with matching changing table. So I guess I got a good part of it." I look at Papa Kakashi and sure enough, he is holding up his newly earned money.

"Tomorrow, meet me in front of the baby shop. I want to spend the day with just me and you. I'll get you whatever else your missing and some extra stuff too so that you have things ready at my place and at your mothers too. But you're paying for any food you want," he laughed and hugged me close. I hugged him back and with a kiss on my forehead, he began to walk me back to the Hokage tower.

Again, she soon as we got to the stairs, I couldn't make it up them. I swear if I can't make it up these stairs by next month, Ino and I are signing up for the pool exercise thing for pregnant mothers. Papa Kakashi laughs at me as he picks me up and carries me up the stairs slowly.

Mom is waiting for me and, like Ino, she helps me change and tucks me into bed. I missed her so much, I hadn't even realized how much until now. She stays by my side, thinking I'm asleep and she hums a lullaby that she use to hum to me. Mom has her soft side, just doesn't show it much. I slowly drift off to sleep as the baby shifts inside of me.

The next morning I slept in again. I didn't get up until about nine am. Usually I would be up peeing like crazy at seven but not today. I guess the baby was getting better. Mom was already busy in the office but still, she had a homemade breakfast ready for me. It was simple – some eggs and buttered toast – but the thought still had me crying. This crying thing better stop once the baby comes. It was sick of all my mood swings.

I would be a big bitch one minute and then crying the next. I was annoyed with myself and I knew others were just about to kill me. Eating what I could as I waddled down the stairs, I tried to make it down without causing a traffic jam. It didn't work.

With how big I was and the narrow stair well, people working in the office had to press against the wall and squeeze by me and the people behind me were murmuring angrily. I didn't give a damn. With me going this fast, I was doing 110% so they can all shove it! Fifteen minutes later, I had gone from the top floor to a fourth of the way down. Wow I was slow. Someone must have called Shizune to come and help me and because by the time I was at half way point, she was there waiting for me. Damn.

She carried me down the rest of the flight of stairs and out the door. It was so beautiful outside. The sun was out but not too hot. Everyone was outside, kids were playing and the shops were alive. It was one of the rare peaceful days in Konoha.

I was half way to the baby shop when an arm wrapped around my midsection. At first, I relaxed against the person, thinking it was Naruto. But when I looked down at the ivory hand gripping my stomach painfully, I knew better.

I elbowed Sasuke in the chest, or where his chest was suppose to be and tried to use as little chakra as I could as I back flipped away from him. He sneered and with speed only I knew him to have, he was suddenly behind me.

"What now Sakura?" He yelled roughly into my ear. I quickly grabbed a hold of his wrist and flipped him over my shoulder. Pumping chakra into my fist, I punched into the earth as hard as I could, leaving an empty crater where Sasuke should have been.

"Nice try," he whispered icily behind me once again. I had enough time to turn and face his red eyes before the kunai in his hand tried to pierce the sand protecting my baby.

I couldn't fight. He knew that so he was trying to use it against me. Cheating Bastard. I rubbed my baby and whispered sorry before letting out some more chakra and taking off towards Sasuke. He wouldn't get away with trying to hurt _my_ baby. Never.

I was too slow though. With the extra weight and the chakra restriction, I wasn't able to fight him at all. I knew I would never win against him if I was at my normal statue but at least I could hold my own. Now though, it was like a toddler fighting against a starved loin.

Sasuke grabbed my wrist roughly pulling me towards him as I spit in his face. He lifted his hands, intent on bringing it down to meet my cheek when something stopped him.

"What are you doing with your hands on _my_ Sakura," a voice called out from behind me, making everyone around us stop. I turned my head away from Sasuke, towards the voice I knew I had mistaken. He couldn't be here. No, that was impossible.

"Gaara…"

"Sakura," Gaara whispered before all hell broke loose. His eyes turned golden and I knew he was no longer Gaara.

Shukaku had come out to play.

* * *

**GPOV**

We had just arrived in Konoha and not even two minutes of walking, a couple of streets down we could see a huge cloud of dust erupt from the group and a shake go through the ground. Some indistinct yelling could be held as well.

"Three guess to see who that is," Nandi sang out as she giggled and leapt off Kankuro's shoulders. She grabbed Kandi's arm and they started running towards all the commotion. Kankuro and Temari took off after them as I lagged behind slightly.

It was funny how, even pregnant, Sakura was still causing an uproar in her wake. They say that pregnant women are supposed to mellow and have the beautiful glow to them. I guess those people never met a kunoichi. I laughed and turned the corner where everyone had disappeared.

Before I could help it, a low growl ripped from my lips that Shukaku had caused. Sasuke was standing in front of me, holding and twisting Sakura's wrist while she leaned on him with her overly large stomach hanging. His other hand was raised to hit her and a glob of spit dripped down his cheek.

My blood really began to boil when her shirt began to raise a little, exposing green and blue bruised blotches covering her abdomen. So, Sasuke was not only holding what was mine, but also abusing my Sakura as well.

Before I could calm myself down and tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me, Shukaku took over and started talking for me.

"What are you doing with your hands on _my _Sakura," Shukaku growled as I watched from inside my body, unable to take back control. Shukaku was pissed and his possessive instincts were in full blast. I tried to tell him to calm down so we wouldn't scare anyone or worse, Sakura.

"Gaara… "Sakura called out to me, disbelief and tears making her voice crack.

"Sakura," Shukaku mumbled and whatever control I had slipped out of my fingers.

Shukaku wanted blood and he would get it.

Through Shukaku's eyes, I saw a flicker of happiness spread into Sakura's eyes as she saw me. But it quickly faded once Shukaku started to come towards her. I knew good and well that he wouldn't hurt her but still, I almost felt bad for Sasuke. Almost.

What right did he have for touching my Sakura? And in such a manner? And by the looks of this street, Sakura was fighting him with all she had. She didn't need to be fighting in her condition.

'_**She sure as hell didn't need to be fighting! This bastard was attacking her!'**_ Shukaku screamed at me. Rage didn't even cover the anger literally radiating off of him. From the corner of my eye, I could see Kankuro and Temari holding Kandi and Nandi. At least they would be safe.

Sakura let out a small moan in distress as Sasuke tightened his grip on Sakura's wrist. Fuck him. I sent my sand out to get Sakura as quickly and as gently as possible and within a matter of seconds, Sakura was curled up in my arms and the bastard as pinned against a wall.

Shukaku purred in pure bliss as his senses were filled with Sakura's sweet scent. I would have purred too but hell I'm mad not a puppy. It would take more than that. I was not whipped like that little bitch Shukaku.

'_**Shut the fuck up pussy ass! I got our girl back!'**_ Shukaku yelled and nuzzled Sakura's neck gently. She was holding on to us tightly, and shaking. She was probably scared and I didn't want her to feel that way anymore so we kept holding her until she calmed down. Shukaku keeps murmuring that he loves her and that she is ours and that we missed her. It's all true but did he have to sound like a damn pansy?

After a few minutes, Shukaku let me come back out so I could be with Sakura. Sasuke was in the back ground cursing up a storm but I didn't pay him any mind. I had Sakura back and that's all that mattered. But as soon as the thought passed through my mind, the baby kicked between us and Sakura pushed away from me.

"Why are you here Gaa-… I mean Kazekage-sama," she asked keeping the beautiful eyes I loved so much hidden behind her bubble gum locks. She bowed formally and kept her head down. Why was she acting like this now?

"Sakura, look at me," I asked gently lifting her chin in my hands. I wanted, needed to see those eyes of hers. She didn't look at me. Instead, she focused on my ear and didn't say anything. "Sakura, please tell me, did he hurt you?"

"No Kazekage-sama. Thank you for your assistance," she answered formally again. She was using my title instead of my name and I hated it. Before I could say anything else though, Nandi and Kandi came up to us. They leapt into her welcoming and opening arms. They talked and kissed and hugged. They truly missed each other.

"We missed you Pinky Lee," Kankuro greeted with a smile. They hugged and Temari commenced in talking and filling her in about the hospital and everything else. I stopped paying attention after Temari told Sakura about sending for her assistant in Suna, Miszuki, to come and join us here in Konoha. All I could think is about how beautiful Sakura looked. Whoever said that absences made the heart grown founder was right.

Sakura had the pregnancy glow to her. Her pink locks of hair swayed in the light breeze, she had grown it out so that it reaches a little past her shoulder blades. Her face got a little fatter with all the weight grain but it made her look like a little heart. Her shoulders were held back with the pride she always carried and her breasts must have started lactating because they sure as hell weren't that big when she was in Suna. I groaned at the thought of fighting my own baby for second base.

Her pregnancy was no longer hidden. Sakura's belly was poking out from under her red tank top and the cute little belly button was also coming out. If I was right when keeping up on her, she was either about to be, or already was five months in. Sakura looked amazing. Maybe I should just keep her pregnant so that I can always see her this beautiful.

Temari said her goodbyes, saying something about getting the kids settled after a long journey. I nodded to them as they walked towards the Hokage tower. It was just Sakura and I now. Sasuke was still pinned to the wall behind Sakura and he would stay that way until I wanted to deal with him.

I stepped to wrap Sakura in my arms when she stepped away, covering her stomach. Fear strikes me like metal to ice. Did Sakura honestly fear me now? I feel my heart melt out my chest and on the dirt floor. I try to take another step to her but she takes another step back.

Finally, my anger spikes and I take her arm, forcing her into my arms. She cringes a little and slowly relaxes into my hold. I don't want her to ever fear me. Ever. I kiss her forehead and tilt her head up to kiss her lips when an annoyingly loud, obnoxious voice stops me.

"Hey Gaara, get your hands off MY Sakura-chan!" Naruto yells from behind us. Kami, I was going to kill him one day, or rip off his lips. I don't loosen my grip a bit as he comes up to us but Sakura starts to struggle. When Naruto goes over to laugh in Sasuke's face, a firm hand grips my shoulder. I look behind me and it's the Copy Nin, Kakashi. His eyes tell me that if I don't let Sakura go, there will be trouble.

"Papa," Sakura whispers as I let her go and she wraps her arms around Kakashi. Papa? Kakashi had no blood ties to Sakura so why would she be calling him that? What the hell as been happening since I was gone? Naruto comes back and wraps an arm around Sakura's shoulder. I try to hold back my growl but I fail.

Kakashi steps in front of Sakura and tells her and Naruto to go on to the baby store without him. He'll catch up later.

Eyeing the older shinobi, I keep on alert. I don't know if he is my ally or my enemy. He's helping Sakura so he has some good points with me but that can be changed quickly.

"Naruto has taken your spot as father of Sakura's baby," Kakashi begins to explain. "Tsunade-sama and I have taken upon the roles of the Grandparents and all her friends are helping her out. When you didn't come back right away, Sakura needed some people to lean on and the main ones are Naruto, Ino, and I. She still loves you but you have to prove to her as well as all of us that you're here to stay this time before we hand her over to you." With that, he patted my back and walked away from me. I took in all he said, word for word, again in my head.

If that's what it took to get my family back then I would do it a hundred times over.

"Dumb Fuck! Are you going to get me out of here or am I going to have to beat your ass again like in the Chunin Exams?" Sasuke yelled out with a grin. I smiled at him and wrapped the sand around his body tighter. His face began to pale with the loss of blood. I couldn't nor would I kill him in front of these people but I would torture him until I felt better.

* * *

_**BABIES' POV**_

I look over at my little sister and she is asleep. She has pretty hair that goes all around her head and drops to the thing in the middle of her face, just like me. We look alike but her hair is different from mine. Sister is very pretty and she keeps us both safe. We don't know how it is, but there is grainy stuff inside this warm place that protects us. Sister is able to control it. So am I but not as good as she does.

I hear the people outside talking and they call the person mommy. We love to hear mommy's voice. It is nice and she talks to us a lot. We love it when mommy talks. She says she will protect us and never leave us, I hope she's truthful.

We hear someone talking about us to mommy but they are only talking about me. Why is that? I don't think they know sister is in here but they will soon. They say the stuff in here with us is called sand.

Sister and I play with the sand until something causes mommy to burn us. It hurts really badly but whenever we feel the blue stuff come, it means mommy is keeping her word and protecting us. The sand inside here blocks us from it but we still feel the heat. Sister pouts and starts crying. She is scared. I hold her and we reach out to touch mommy. In return, she grabs my hand through the sand and we smile. The blue stuff is gone. We are ok. Mommy has kept her word and protected us once again.

Sister has stopped crying and she has fallen sleep. I hear mommy getting under something loud. She always gets under this thing and I can hear something hit against our home a lot. I don't know what is it but it is warm and makes mommy rub us a lot.

Suddenly, I hear mommy crying. I don't like it when mommy is crying. She is usually happy and I love it when she is happy. Sister hears her crying and she does not like it either. Why is mommy sad again?

Is it because the person who helps mommy has hurt her? No, she is still under the warm stuff. Sister reaches out and tries to touch mommy. Mommy grabs sister's hand and she stops crying. I reach out too and mommy grabs my hand. I like it when mommy is holding my hand. I can't wait for her to meet sister and me. I will be happy and so will mommy and sister. I will protect sister and mommy like a big boy is supposed to. I will never let mommy cry again.

I fall asleep with sister holding on to me. Mommy is rubbing against us and feeding us something very sweet and sticky. It's very warm and good. We like it a lot. We hear someone very loud talking to mommy and mommy is mad at this person. This person keeps talking about me. I don't think this person knows about sister either but the person keeps calling themselves 'godmother'. Mommy, what is a godmother?

Mommy is getting tired so we will all sleep for now. Mommy is happy and she is rubbing us again. It feels good. I stay awake and play with the sand while mommy and sister sleep.

Something is wrong. Sister is not sleeping well and the sand is acting like she is. Sister panics and starts crying and the sand hits against our home. Mommy is in pain suddenly. I try to calm down sister because whatever is wrong with her, it is also causing mommy to have pain too.

Sister calms down and stops crying and so does mommy. Mommy starts rubbing us and we see something green light up behind the sand. It is warm like the blue stuff but it is gently. It makes us feel better and sister reaches out to touch it. It does not burn her. Mommy is healing us. She is a good mommy. The green stuff is gone and mommy is talking to someone loud.

This person is with mommy a lot and helping her. She loves him a lot but she loves us more. Mommy and this person talk and then we go to eat. Mommy is pouting and someone laughs at mommy. Mommy is saying something funny and me and sister laugh.

Mommy is talking to her mommy. Mommy's mommy is scary. She is loud and kind but still scary. She cuts off mommy from air and I kick her. She tells us not to hit her so I don't kick her anymore.

Mommy wants to eat something smelly. It taste ok but it smells weird. Sister and I let mommy eat it this once because it makes mommy happy but not anymore. Sister starts playing with my hair as I play with her toes. Mommy is talking outside with someone named Papa and we are at peace.

Mommy is pouting again. She is murmuring something and it is funny. Someone is laughing with us and they pick up mommy. It is funny when mommy is pouting.

We go to sleep all together and mommy's mommy is humming to us. I like it a lot and so does sister.

We wake up and mommy is going to get us stuff. She is happy about the day and me and sister are playing with the sand. It is a good day.

Mommy suddenly gets mad and the blue burning stuff is back. We are in danger and mommy is protecting us. I hold sister tight to me but the blue stuff is coming faster. Before I can do anything, I make the sand cover me and sister tightly. Mommy is working hard to protect us and so will I.

Mommy was happy for a moment then she turns scared. What is happening? Sister and I are scared. Mommy keeps calling out to someone. Why is this someone so angry? He is holding mommy tightly and telling her that we are his and that he loves mommy very much. Is this who mommy keeps crying about?

Mommy says his name is Gaara. Mommy seems to be happy but something is off. If mommy is so happy with him why does she not stay with him? Mommy goes back to the loud person who has been helping mommy.

I miss Gaara. Sister misses Gaara too. When he is around, the sand starts dancing really pretty around us and mommy is very happy. Gaara please come back.

* * *

_**OH good Kami! There are two little babies in our Sakura! I bet no one expected that! And I bet no one expected to hear their POV in this! Haha well that was your treat! I couldn't hold back on saying something anymore so yea! =)**_

_**Now that Gaara's back, a lot of things will be changing. I wonder how this will play out. And just who was Unknown POV from? Hmm, we shall find out soon. Or maybe we won't find out at all. YOU NEVER KNOW!**_

_**UNTIL NEXT TIME!**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_

_**-YUUKI ^_~**_


	6. Month Five: Part Two

_**Hey my loyal reads! First let me say that I am so sorry to keep you all waiting for such a long time. I had technical difficulties with my laptop T~T My poor baby, it was totaled and broke down into scrap metal. It died… such a brave solider. R.I.P – Toasty the Laptop. He was a great friend and partner in crime, I will never forget Toasty. But it is on my new laptop that I bring you this next chapter. HER name is DeeDee! XD She is awesome and works very good, hopefully I will be with her for a longest time!**_

_**Anyway! What's up with you? Hmm, well I'm great, feeling a lot better and my dad got me two new books (so sweet of him cause he knows I love to read! Ha-ha I finished both books in under a week and I'm looking for the next ones in the series). So must better, in fact, that I have come to a rather odd decision that I think everyone will enjoy and will help me with all this spare time that I seem to find on my hands. I am not only going to start a new story but THREE! That's right you heard me, THREE NEW STORIES ARE COMING AT YOU VERY SOON MY FRIENDS! The ones I have chosen are as follows and you can see their summaries on my profile:**_

―_**Something Unexpected: The Playlist of Life *Naruto Fic***_

―_**Cherry Sand - Inspired but Blossom of the Red Sand (You all should read that story)*Naruto Fic***_

―_**Betrayal's Greatest Romance *Inuyasha Fic***_

_**Wow, I got my work cut out for me, but with school back, people think I shouldn't start all three at once, and they're right. I won't start ALL of these stories AT ONE TIME! That would be suicidal and with this being one of the most important years in high school, it's stupid. So I am going to finish this story, then start each one slowly, that way, I can update them on a regular schedule and still have time to… well I do nothing else but sit at the house so I guess I'll have time update more! But I'll probably start with Betrayal's Greatest Romance, so I can get a break from Sakura and Gaara (even though I love them. I have other couples I want to write about). **_

_**To JustAnOrdinaryPerson: To answer your questions or curiosity, I made it this way to lead everyone into a false fairy land so to speak. But don't worry, the 'suggestion' you made about making 'something happen' well let me just say, stop reading my mind! Lol, I was planning something like that to happen, but not exactly that. But you'll see don't worry. ^-^ Please keep reading though. **_

_**Anyway, now back to the story. Glad you guys liked your little treat last chapter ^-^**_

_**BY THE WAY! IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!**_

_**I AM IN NEED OF A BETA READER! IF ANYONE WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP ME WITH THIS AND HAS MICROSOFT WORD THAN PLEASE PM ME AND WE WILL DECUSS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE! THANK YOU AND ENJOY THE CHAPTER! **_

_**-Yuuki ^_~**_

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Six – Month Five: Part Two – Truth and Lies; Shadows and Light**_

_**Sakura POV**_

I hadn't slept in over fifteen hours. I knew it was unhealthy for the baby but I was needed here. Fifteen hours ago, four teams of ANBU Black ops had been rushed in. They were all in horrible condition. Most of them suffering from either sever third degree burns on over seventy-five percent of their bodies, or poison that was eating away at their muscles and bones.

Mom was busy trying to get what little information she could from the part of the team that managed not to get poisoned or burned. They claimed that while heading back from their S rank mission in the land of Waves, they were attacked by a group of all males. At first glance, they assumed they were from the Akatsuki but that was not the case, and the small dungeon like wagon they had with them filled with kunoichi only got things started. They kept following the ANBU and even during the heat of battle, refused to quite questioning them about the females of the village, particularly, the kunoichi. After seeing they would not get anything from our ANBU, they launched a large flood of poison, and set it on fire. The few that survived, barely managed to bring their team members back the short ways to Konoha's Gates.

This is all we were able to obtain though. We would get more once some of them were healed, if we were able to heal them on time. Shizune and I really had our hands full. She was working on the burn victims whiles I worked on anti-venom for the poison victims. Problem was, that every time we would finish with one victim, we would have to send them to the other thereby just creating a huge circle because anyone who got burned was also poison and whoever was poisoned was also burned.

Sighing heavily, I once again took off my gloves and disposed of the needles and bloody bandages. This victim was finished. Hopefully, he was my last for tonight. Looking around the emergency, I saw two unattended to. The red buttons on both of their sides called for me to answer them but my feet begged me to sit down and stay down. Yawning, I took a set forward, only to lose my balance and fall against the wall. My heart rate went up suddenly and my whole body started to shake as I slide down the wall and rested on the floor.

"Dr. Haruno!" Someone yelled at me but I couldn't seem to keep my eyes open. I knew part of this was because I had used up all my chakra, even though it was for healing and would do nothing to harm the baby, it tired me out. But this other pain, the pain a felt again like when it woke me up. The pain that burned my abdomen and felt like I was downing, I couldn't explain.

I clenched my stomach and felt my baby moving frantically inside me. It was in distressed and I couldn't figure out why. Voices gathered around me, but I couldn't understand what they were saying, nor did I care. Humming softly too myself and the baby, I tried to calm down and help my baby out. I guess it worked because the pain got intense and the baby's small foot pressed against my hands.

Why did this pain keep coming back! Groaning and trying not to show my distress, I shoved Shizune away, panting as I pulled myself into standing. I was about to fall again when I strong hold swept me off my feet.

I was in too much pain to try and fight back. I heard Shizune's voice call to the person holding me. We began moving, fast and I had to hold my head to keep from losing my mind. Scorching heat built up in my chest and lowered to my stomach. The baby kicked at me, trying to get out. I could feel its pain in every powerful kick it laid on my stretched skin.

"Help it!" I screamed as tears streamed down my cheeks. 'Please! Help my baby! Something is wrong! I wanted to cry out as I was laid down on gurney and wheeled away. The doors to the O.R. flying open was the last thing I remember seeing

* * *

"Sakura," a soft voice called to me. I tried to will my heavy eye lids to open but they refused me.

"Sakura?" Another voice called, worry and fear laced in their voice as a sniff followed. I recognized these voices to be Mom and Naruto. But that's not what got me to truly wake up.

"Wake up woman," a cold voice ordered me. My eyes slowly opened to see Gaara looking down at me. His steamy foam eye had not hardened to a cold steely color, almost grey. I glared back to him and slowly began to sit up with the assistance of Naruto.

Naruto also glared at Gaara, unsure if he should be here. Papa Kakashi was behind Mom, ready to interfere should there little staring match turn into more. I looked around quickly and noted that one, I was in a paper gown. Two, it was no longer night but probably midday outside. And three, we were in the clinic wing.

"Is the baby ok?" I asked quickly, panic clutching my heart tightly. Gaara snorted and took a few steps away from me. Papa Kakashi gave him a look to shut up and nodded to me before he took his leave. He probably had a lot of things to do and I knew he didn't really like to be around Gaara.

"That's why we're here honey. Last night, you had a blood clot and we had to do some emergency surgery to get it out. You're going to stay here for awhile but the baby went into distress and we had to really monitor its condition the best we could. But, when we found this," Mom paused to lift my gown a little and show the horrid green and blue bruises that marred my stomach. "Sakura, how long has this been going on?"

Sighing, I knew I had to tell them, "It's been happening for about two weeks now. This first time wasn't so bad but it kept getting worse. Last night, that's the worse it has ever been. I felt like the baby was dying inside me." Again, Gaara made a noise of irritation and a looked at him. He was glaring at me back, as if he were glad our baby might be suffering.

"We don't know what's causing the baby to go into distress but every time it does, something happens. Something I've never seen before. The baby actually sends out waves and waves of raw chakra and using the sand to expand and fight you. Your baby is actually protecting its self but harming you. I don't know how else to explain it." Mom rubbed my stomach thoughtfully and looking me dead in the eye.

"Good," Gaara said, moving from the wall to stand over me. I glared at him back and my temp spiked.

"Good? You think it's good that _my_ baby might be suffering?" I yelled at him.

"First of all, the baby is _ours!_ Second, no I'm not happy that it may suffer but I sure as hell am glad that karma is coming to bite your ass! Maybe I little more suffer in your life will help you to see how foolish you are and what is truly in front of you!" Gaara bit out, putting hit finger in my face. Naruto growled behind me and was about to say something when I pushed him back and stood up, bumping my stomach into Gaara's. Mom looked shocked, backing away through the door, murmuring something about leaving the love birds.

"Fuck you! What's truly in front of me is a coward who didn't want his own family! So now, that same coward is here, torturing me with his presence!" I screamed back, poking him in the chest and made him back up a little.

"You ran, Sakura! _You_ ran away from _me!_ How is it that _I_ am the supposed _coward_, as you say, when I never got a chance to be the father and provider for _our_ family! You took that away from me Sakura! You had me thinking that our baby was dead! You lied and you ran away before I could discover the truth! You lied! You even had me sister cover for you! _MY SISTER!_ How could you! And what makes it that much sweeter, is that you knew that there was an attack on your life still pending! You knew and didn't even both to think about if you were to leave that they would get you and kill not you, but our child too! How selfish were your thoughts when you went out into the dessert, just to get away from me! That wasn't fair to me! You tricked me! You ran away, and you took my chance at being a father away and not even giving me a chance to_ know_! Tell me, after some time had passed, were you ever going to tell me about our little one? Hmm?"

Gaara ranted on pushing me back against Naruto. I could say nothing. He was right, about everything. I looked up into his eyes and held back the tears strong.

"Don't give me that Sakura," Gaara sneered, wiping away a tear that slipped my grip. "Don't you dare cry, you brought this on yourself and whether you like it or not, I will have you back! Sakura, you are _mine._ _Mine _to hold! _Mine_ to kiss! _Mine _to take care of and raise a family with! And until I make you see that I truly love you and that baby growing inside you, I will not leave because once again, _YOU. ARE. MINE!" _Gaara yelled, grabbing my face in his hands and kissing me roughly. That's when Naruto finally snapped. He grabbed me quickly and threw me behind him on examination table and launched himself at Gaara. They both went into a tumble of blood and punches until Mom came back and separated them.

"Gaara, I think it's best if you leave. It's obvious you're causing stress to Sakura and the baby and as Tsunade-sama state, that is not good." Naruto stated surprisingly wisely. He picked himself up and wiped away the blood pouring from his slit lips. Walking slowly through the eerily now quiet room, he placed himself by my side and glared at Gaara. Nodding once to me, Gaara stepped from the room and left.

It wasn't until I knew he was far away, that I broke down and started to cry. Naruto curled me up in his arms and began to leap from the roof tops to take me home. He knew exactly what all that was about back there and I knew it hurt him to hear all that. But still he held on strong, for me.

"I was afraid," I whispered as we crossed the threshold of our home. He sat us down, me in his lap and nuzzled me cheek for me to continue. Smiling, I hugged him close.

"I was afraid that if Gaara found out about the baby…," I hesitated taking a deep breath before continuing. "If he found out about the baby, he would make me get rid of it. He had already expressed his issues about not really wanting a family yet. But it seems his opinions have changed…"

I started to cough a little, my chest burning again but it wasn't like different from when the baby would act up. I was probably coming down with a cold. Great, just what I needed now. Coughing again, I stood from the couch and went to get a cup of hot tea.

"Sakura, maybe you should just talk to Gaara, try to fix all of this?" Naruto came up behind me, taking out two bowls of ramen and starting the tea kettle.

"How am I supposed to talk to him when he's so angry with me?" I coughed out, leaning against the counter. Naruto looked at me suspicious and shook his head, telling me I should go to bed. I tried to argue back but when I yawned, Naruto took his chance and scooped me up. Dropping me into bed and covering me up tight, he told me to stay and rest while he went to the Hokage tower. I was asleep before he closed the door.

* * *

It was early afternoon the nest day when I finally woke up. I vaguely remember getting showering and getting dressed. My mind was in a haze and the cold heat that surrounded me almost as unbearable as the numb stinging of my limbs. I licked my lips, tasting the dull metallic taste of dried blood on the split from before. Even though I had a shower, the waxy feeling was still heavy on my body.

"Morning to you too sunshine," Naruto joked as I shuffled to table for our breakfast together. I tried grumbled a 'good morning' but my lips refused to work. My rational side was pleading with me to get checked out but my medical side was reasoning that my symptoms were nothing but the affects of the cold I was getting. A lot of pregnant often got symptoms of a common cold so why should I worry?

"Ino and I are going to visit Hinata and Kiba, I'll be back later," I told Naruto as I got up and headed to the door. My legs felt like lead, maybe I wasn't getting enough rest.

"Wait, I'll get your mini blanket. Wind is really picking up and I know you get cold easily," Naruto called out as the warmth of my fuzzy black blanket covered my shoulders and Naruto's arms joined them as I light peck graced my temple.

"Be safe, please don't do anything stressful. I need you healthy for when the baby finally decides to show up. I'm sending Gamakichi, so if anything happens he can send me to you quickly," Naruto told me while he bite his thumb, did a few hands signs and hit the wall next to the door. The little orange toad was there in the next second, falling into my hands with a smile.

"Hiya girly," he greeted and perched himself on my shoulder. "Hey Naruto, how you doing kid?"

"I'm fine, but as you can see, Sakura-chan is pregnant. I have a lot of stuff to do today. If anything happens, big or small, I want you to summon me without hesitating, got it?" Naruto ordered the toad sternly. Gamakichi only nods in annoyance. I gave Naruto one last kiss on the cheek before leaving and heading for the Gates.

"So what's on today's agenda?" Gamakichi asked once we were a good five minutes into walking. I looked around and smiled at the usual people I saw daily. "Well, Ino and Choji are officially engaged, so I'm going to meet Hinata at Kiba's and Ino, Hinata, and I are going to celebrate. I don't plan to stay long because I have to go back to the hospital. Apparently, the ANBU unit we spent all night healing, aren't doing any better so I'm going back to help even though Mom doesn't really want me to. But they need help so she can't really say they don't need me," I said more to myself then him. I sneezed and wiped my nose on my sleeve without thinking.

"Since when have you decorated your sleeve with snot?" Gamakichi laughed pointing to the yellowish brown spot on my sleeve.

"Would you rather I wipe it on you?" I teased and he leaned away from me, mumbling under his breath.

"Hey, I thought you said we were going to Kiba's? Why are we at the Gates?" Gamakichi asked once the great Gates came into view about thirty feet away from us.

"Because, I didn't want to worry Naruto by surprising Ino with a few guests from Suna is why. My assistant from Suna Hospital, Miszuki, then there is Temari standing over there by the Gate patrol's stand and my two favorite little girls, Nandi and Kandi. They'll be joining us today, and don't worry about lying to Naruto, I'll tell him later today. And I might have Nandi and Kandi spend the night with us." Gamakichi just nodded, going into his 'I may be short but I can give you a nasty paper cut' stance… well that's what I called it at least.

"Dr. Haruno!" The twins yelled to me as they came running to my legs. I was almost knocked over as they clung to my legs and yelling and giggled random things I couldn't understand. Nandi grabbed Gamakichi and the poor toad was then used as I tug-of-war rope between the sisters.

"Dr. Haruno, we missed you so much! Who is Mr. Toad?" Nandi half asked, half yelled as Kandi fought her to get to Gamakichi. Poor toad, he was being stretch out by two energetic girls that acted like little boys.

"His name is Gamakichi and I think you're hurting him," I said gently taking Gamakichi out of their death grip and placing him back on my shoulder. I whispered to him that I would summon one of Katsuyu's small divisions to keep him company. In instantly relaxed on my shoulder. Smiling as I approached Temari.

"Sakura-san! I missed you so much!" Temari ran and hugged me the best she could over my stomach. We laughed and talked for a few minutes until the last of our small group finally arrived on the other side of the Gates.

"Miszuki-san," I greeted as the sandy haired kunoichi as she bowed to me respectfully. "Please, I am not your superior anymore, you do not have to do that anymore."

"But, Sakura-sama, you are and I will not show you any less respect just because you are no longer employed at the hospital. It is nice to see you again, as to you too Temari-sama and Nandi-san and Kandi-san," Miszuki greeted them all, seeming not to noticed the grouchy toad on my shoulder. The young woman, younger than me by only three years, seemed to fit right at home as we made our way to Kiba's house.

Nandi and Kandi talked my ear off as their small hands tugged on mines. I was so happy to see them again. In the short time I had been away, they seem to grow like weeds. Nandi begged for all the details on my pregnancy while Kandi kept coming up with odd names to call the baby as a nickname. By the time we got to Kiba's, Ino had already showed up. We were suppose to beat her and help set up, I guess that's my fault. My feet were swollen and I tended to walk a lot slower. I noticed I was starting to breath I little harder, I but I guess that was just because I had just did a lot of walking.

"Sakura-san, we though you weren't going to make it," Hinata said when she answered the door. Instantly, Nandi and Kandi were everywhere at once, asking questions and picking up things. Hinata just laughed and Ino went at trying to keep up with them both.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise to bring the girls as well as Temari and Miszuki," I told them slowly, hoping my surprise wasn't offending anyone. They all greeted each other nicely and we all fell into giggles and playful mini food fights as the girls kept switching from watching _Kunoichi Princess_ and _Sleeping Beauty._ As promised, I summoned one of Katsuyu's mini self for Gamakichi to 'play' with.

When the baby started to get active again, everyone gathered around to start rubbing on me. I guess the rubbing put me to sleep because the next thing I knew, I had the girls staring down at me, Gamakichi as my pillow, asleep as well, and clock above me read 3pm. Last time I checked, it was barely 1pm.

"You're finally awake Sakura-san," Katsuyu murmured while she slinked her way up my chest. I looked around to find Ino and Hinata playing some video game while Nandi brushed my hair and Kandi did, what looked like, painting my toe nails some weird highlighter yellow color.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you guys," I yawned sitting up and putting Gamakichi in Nandi's lap. I pressed my hand to my head as soon as I was up right enough. There was so much pressure building up behind my temple, I felt light headed. I also noticed my nose felt burned but wasn't clogged up. My bladder was screaming at me as I got up and made my way to the bathroom.

I looked in the mirror as soon as I was done washing my hands, only to notice my nose was bleeding A LOT. What the hell? Grabbing some tissue, I held my head back and almost fell over as my light headedness became worse. Carefully, I shuffled my way out the bathroom and called for Nandi and Kandi to help me back to the couch.

"Sakura-san what's wrong?" Katsuyu and Hinata both called out to me at the same time. I waved them off and simply told them I had a nose bleed. No need to worry them about my lightheadedness or the pain in my spine.

"Want me to get Naruto to take you home?" Gamakichi asked, about to summon him. I shook my head and he nodded, coming to sit by my left ear. By my right ear, Katsuyu murmured that she would stop the bleeding but I told her not to waste her chakra, it would stop in a minute or two.

"Sakura, this doesn't look ok," Ino said after fifteen minutes and the bleeding still hadn't stopped. There was blood all over my face and her hands. Every time she tried to heal it, seconds later it would start again. The girls as well as Gamakichi were becoming worried and as I last resort, we placed Katsuyu on the back of my neck as she stopped blood flow to my brain slightly, just enough to make my light head all that much worse and Ino enough time to stop the bleeding completely.

"Sakura-sama, are you ok? You lost a lot of blood; do you want me to carry you to the hospital?" Miszuki offered as she cleaned my face. I smiled and shook my head no, explaining I was about to go to the hospital anyway and I would get it checked on if we weren't too busy.

"Can we come with you?" Nandi asked as she wiped her tears away. She and Kandi were really worried about me, even after I told them I was fine, and didn't want to leave me.

"Actually, Sakura if you don't mind, you could take the girls with you and drop them off at the hotel, it's not that far away from the hospital. That way, you won't be alone, the girls can go with you and I can stay and finish catching up with Ino and Hinata," Temari grinning wickedly, as did Ino. I knew what they were up to. They wanted to force me to talk to Gaara. But they didn't know what happened in the exam room. They didn't know about how angry Gaara was with me and even though they knew bits and pieces of Sasuke staking me, they didn't know the whole story, and why. Heck, I was just finding out about why Sasuke was perusing me and it was only because Mom told me so I wouldn't be too worried, which it didn't help me from worrying.

"That would be fine I guess, but it is getting late Temari, shouldn't you go home with the girls and _cook_ a nice meal for them," I grinned right back. Even though Temari could cook really well, she was lazy as hell and hated to cook. The only reason why people thing she's a lousy cook is because the one time she cooked for Shikamaru's birthday, she forgot to put the timer on the over and ended up burning the lasagna and was too lazy to make another one.

Ino began to laughs quietly as Temari glared at me. I smiling smiled back and blew a kiss at her.

"I hate you, you know that right?" Temari asked as she turned her back to me.

"I love you too Temari," I said sweetly and took the girls hands in mine. Gamakichi settled himself back on my shoulder and Katsuyu snuggled on the back of my neck making some sort of noise that sounded like the equivalent to a cat's purr or a dog's bark. Maybe it was the little slugs… slur? It sounded nice either way… in a slimy, sticky sort of way.

"Why haven't you been over to visit us?" Kandi asked after we said our goodbyes and started walking towards to hospital. I didn't want to tell her the ugly truth but then again, I didn't know how much the two already knew.

"Well, Gaara and I haven't been getting along very well lately, so I stayed away so we wouldn't fight as much as more," I answered truthfully… kind of.

"But if you guys are fighting, how will you fix it if you don't talk to each other?" Nandi asked cutely, too cutely. How did these girls know so much? I mean they're already smart for their age but it was getting kind of weird now.

"Yes, how do you plan to fix it Sakura?" A voice called from behind me. I grimaced as the familiar chakra washed over my back. Why now? Why was he even here? Wasn't he supposed to be at the Hokage tower now?

"Do you want me to hop off real quick and get Naruto?" Gamakichi whispered in my ear. I shook my head now and whispered for him to lead the girls around the corner until I could deal with this with scaring them.

"No, I think the kiddies should hear this _Sakura-chan,_" Sasuke yelled out. Quickly pushing the girls behind me, I felt both them start to shake as I turned to face him. His usual cocky sneer graced his lips as his he was high and might.

"What do you want?" I asked evenly, squaring my shoulders and holding my head up high. I knew it wouldn't intimated him but I would rather cut off my arms than have him look down on the weak and feeble girl he knew back when we were genin.

"You know exactly what I want _Sakura-chan_," Sasuke practically purred, trying to sound sexy, as he took a step forward and took one back. Katsuyu slinked her way down my arm, getting bigger as she went until finally she flopped down beside me, now standing a foot taller than me. I placed my hand on her and instantly, her chakra started to fill my body. It's warm yet cool embrace flowed up to my temples and down my toes like the fuzzy blanket…. I left at Ino's. Damn and that was my favorite one too.

"Yea, I do. I know all about your dead line and the fact that if you don't find someone to carry your child and marry you, they'll arrange a marriage for you; a political marriage with the princess from the Land of Waves. I _know_ how much you would hate that," I smiled petting Katsuyu. Sasuke's face instantly dropped.

"Well since you know all about that, why don't you drop that bastard's child and come have the love of your life?" He asked raising an eyebrow. Like I'd even think about going back to Sasuke, I'd rather raise this baby with a mole as the father than have Sasuke as my husband and his child growing inside me than Gaara's. In another time and in another situation, I might not have a choice or hell, I might just want it. But like I said, it would have to be another time and in another situation.

"Language! Are you that blind or do you not see these kids standing behind my legs? Swear again and I'll break your jaw off!" I yelled trying to keep my temper in check. Nandi was on my right and shaking so hard, she had my leg shaking. I knew exactly how she felt but she knew, or at least I hoped she knew, I wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Kandi, to my left, clutched my jeans and an arm around her sister.

"I wish Gaara-ojisan was here," I heard one of them whisper and held back a twitch. They wanted Gaara, to come and protect them. They didn't trust me anymore. And if they did, they didn't trust I could protect them against a creep like Sasuke.

"Sakura, don't you see? Those kids, the little creep growing inside you, and that monster who helped you conceive it, they all don't matter. They don't matter to me and they shouldn't matter to you. Why can't you just give up your pride and come be where you know you want to be?" He asked gently. I never heard him say anything so… _soft_. Gant it, the bastard had just said the evilest and most hurtful thing I can even imagine him saying but still, it made me question what was really going on in his mind.

Now, usually, this would be about the time I would start to let my chakra flow through me and just kicking ass but this wasn't the usual encounter I had with Sasuke. The factors were different now. I knew for a fact that Sasuke wasn't against sinking so low as to take one of my girls into his hold and force whatever he wanted out of me. And if he did that, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I would give in to him to make sure these girls got back to Temari and back to their grandmother safely without incident. On top of that, Sasuke was fast, _very fast._ He could just as well us that speed and take the girls without me even realizing he moved.

But there were still three other things to factor in as well, the fact that I had Katsuyu here to provide any healing or extra chakra if I needed, the fact that I had Gamakichi here to get the kids out of danger if it came to a fight, and the fact that Gamakichi could summon Naruto in the blink of an eye if things really did get out of control. Technically, Gamakichi was suppose to have already called Naruto but if he had made a move, Sasuke would have killed him before his tiny body hit was able to fully jump off my shoulder.

So this left me in a predicament I didn't know how to handle until Sasuke made his move. _Everything is like a giant chess game_ Shikamaru once told me, and that's how I had to look at things now. Right now, Sasuke had three sure fire ways of check mating me, but I also had a hidden move somewhere that would bring me victory, I didn't couldn't see it. I needed to look at this at a different angle. I didn't to do or call someone that would get me out of this without hurting my baby or anyone else.

"Pretty girls shouldn't think so hard, it makes them wrinkle and ugly," Sasuke huffed out taking another step forward. I just snorted and relaxed my shoulders. He was toying with me, and I fell for it. He was so full of himself that he thought he could take me so lightly. Fine, he wants to play, I'll play then.

"Don't use too much lotion next time you watch your P-O-R-N-O video, you left stains on your pants," I bit out smiling as Sasuke paled and looked down. There were no stains on his pants, but the fact that he thought he did only made me laugh harder. I heard Nandi whisper to her sister what P-O-R-N-O spelled and Kandi just shrugged. Good.

"Don't fuck with me bitch, now come on. Let's get that shit out of you so you and I can finally start courting," Sasuke sneered, starting towards me. I glared at him and pushed my hair behind my shoulders, effectively pushing Gamakichi out of sight and on to the girls. He had the chance now to get them away safely and call Naruto.

"I stop using that language around my girls!" I yelled out and was about to step to him when Katsuyu pushed her billowy body in front of mine. He jelly like skin pressed against mine and the warmth of her chakra spread to me again. I heard the girls back away slowly, Gamakichi whispering for them to follow behind Katsuyu.

"You will not hurt my Sakura-chan," Katsuyu cooed. She was prepared to fight but I knew she couldn't win. Her body, lacking a proper bone structure, was made for a great defense and _most_ attacks would go unnoticed to her, but with Sasuke's chidori, he could fry her like a snail in Paris. Probably add salt to her eyes, the evil bastard.

"Katsuyu, take care of Nandi and Kandi. They cannot walk fast. Let them on your back if you please and get them out of here," I asked her slowly, giving her a small smile and a wink. Reluctantly, she started to crawl her way backwards and away from me. It would be moments, and Naruto would be here. I could handle Sasuke for a few minutes. I could probably turn his nuts into peanut butter in a few minutes but then Mom would be mad at me.

"Sending the kiddies away so we can fuck in private?" Sasuke laughed once they were far enough away not to hear him. I didn't respond, just looked at him with the same cold stare he used on me when we were little.

"I won't repeat myself anymore Sakura. Get your ass over here and let's go to the hospital. The longer that shit eating leech is in you, the longer I have to wait for you, and you know how impatient I am," he grinned, holding out his hand for me.

"If you call my child that again, I swear you will live the rest of your life not being able to keep the droll from coming out your mouth," I voice said right behind my ear. A sudden warmth enfolded my back and the smell of dust and spice wafted to my nose. _Gaara_.

I secretly smiled as I felt his arms warp around me and his head rest on my shoulder. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye and saw that this nice embrace did nothing to bring down the rage that boiled in his eyes. He was going to murder Sasuke. I couldn't bring myself to care.

"You're just made that I have Sakura now and you don't," Sasuke laughed taking a daring step to grab my arm. I reacted like I would if Gaara and I weren't having problems right now - I wrapped my arms around his and nuzzled myself into him more. His form hunched over mine and I felt him press a light kiss to my temple.

"We are leaving. Follow, and my threat earlier becomes reality," Gaara stated coolly as unwrapped one of his arms, took me into his side and started walking towards the hospital. I guess Sasuke didn't follow because after a few minutes, his chakra signature disappeared. I looked up to Gaara, about to thank him only to see his eyes still rimmed with anger, now directed at me.

"I –"

"No! Shut up! I don't want to hear _'thank you Gaara' _or _'I'm glad you came'_, none of that shit! I shouldn't have to come and rescue you from your _fiancé_, the one you left _me _for! Kami Sakura! Are you that stupid or is your supposed _love_ for your dear _Sasuke-kun_ so deep that you would deal with that abuse and crap to be with him?" I flinched back away from his words. What was he talking about? I wasn't engaged to Sasuke. I didn't even _like_ Sasuke in that sense anymore!

"What are you talking abo –, "I started but once again he cut me off.

"No don't say anything! I don't want to hear your petty excuses or anything! But I do want to know is if you wanted me out of your life _so_ bad, why did you send me a wedding invitation? Hmm? As if I wasn't hurt enough that you left, that you took the child I might have never known about with you, but I also found out that you moved on _so easily_. Tell me about how _easy_ going you are," Gaara sneered threw a decorated white, slightly yellowed with age or over use, in my face. I didn't even realize I was crying until Gaara also threw his handkerchief at me.

"Clean yourself up. You look pathetic when you cry those fake tears," Gaara sneered and walked away, leaving me standing there. "And your nose is bleeding too," He threw over his shoulder until he completely disappeared. I touched my nose confused, and sure enough, a heavy flow of blood was dripping from my nose all the way down my chin. There was already a small pool of my blood on my shirt.

I took a calming breath and realized that I was light headed and it was much worse than before. I thought it was Nandi shaking my legs earlier, but as I looked down my legs, it was me. I could sense my body was calm, it had calmed down and the adrenalin rush I had instantly disappeared when Gaara wrapped his arms around me, so why was I still shaking? Shaking my head and rushed over to the building closet and emptied my already empty stomach.

Huffing in annoyance as I cleaned my mouth, I looked around for Naruto but he was nowhere to be found, neither were Nandi and Kandi or Katsuyu and Gamakichi. I guess I had to find them first; I would just be a little late to work tonight. I didn't take me long to find them. They were in front of the hotel, waiting for _Gaara-ojisan. _I fought not to roll my eyes and took them inside. Gamakichi yawned and explained he didn't call Naruto because he felt Gaara's chakra signature on its way so he figured I was safe. He went home on the promise to check in with Naruto before he left to his world. Katsuyu cuddled on the back of my neck again, slowing my bleeding now to a small drip. Still had to keep Gaara's handkerchief in my nose but at least now the blood on my shirt wouldn't get bigger.

"Dr. Haruno, finally! You're needed in the O.R. and the E.R. really is picking up, the ANBU team that came in last night are getting worse and there are serve nurses as well as other workers here at the hospital that are suddenly becoming ill and fast!" A young nurse yelled at me as soon as I stepped a toe in the door. I guess my nose would have to wait.

"Get my scrubs and call the Hokage-sama! I'll deal with the scheduled surgery in the O.R. but after that I want no one to bother me, I'll be in the E.R.!" I yelled at her and started taking off, my medical mode kicking into over drive. Skipping all the way up the stairs to scrub in, I met the young nurse at the door of the O.R. and made a record surgery time. It was a simple repair and stitch but it still required concentration and steady hands.

It was time to go the other E.R.

Quickly scrubbing out and running down the other side of the hospital and through the door of the E.R., I was met with a sight I wasn't prepared for. Blood, throw up and people were scattered _everywhere_. What the hell happened here? It looked like a third world country in here! Why were people being treated in the bathroom and on the floor! Were we really that low on beds and places to put these people properly?

Taking a deep breath I grabbed a few sets of gloves and began my work. I already saw Shizune from across the room and she looked like she wasn't doing any better than the person she was checking on. Everyone looked _horrible_.

Turning to the ANBU unit in the back corner, I saw most of them were either unconscious or _dead_. The putrid smell the hung in the air like a thick fog was unbearable and I was tempted to turn around and throw up, only I had nothing left in my stomach to throw up. Everyone was pale and slick with sweat. One of the monitors started to beat loud and fast as the code blue light came on and the alarm started to blare in my ears.

"Code Blue! Code Blue!"

"Time to work," I whispered to myself as I went to give my assistance. It was going to be a long sixteen hour shift.

'_Twelve hours down, four more to go,'_ I thought to myself as I tried to get fresh air . My body was shutting down, I was already tired when I came in and I was getting worse. I had to sit out for five minutes three times now because my nose bleed was back and the last time Katsuyu was so tired, I sent her back to her world. The poor slug queen was trying to fight it but she was out of energy and barely had enough chakra to get home.

"_Please, water," _Someone called weakly and I made my way to the voice. Discarding my gloves in the toxic waste basket and grabbing another pair, I saw the man in the ANBU suit calling to me. I healed him yesterday and he looked a lot better than how he looked now.

"I'm here, Stashio-kun," I said gently taking his hand and pressing the button on his bed to help him sit up. Once he was up enough, I placed my hand on the base of his head and held him steady as I greedily took drain the water I offered up to his mouth. It was gone in a matter of seconds and he was asking for more, already knowing I couldn't give him anymore than what I had already offered him.

"Dr. Haruno-sama," Stashio called out to me roughly as I began to walk away. The way his voice sounded, you would have guessed he hadn't had water in years instead of just seconds ago. I looked back over at him and he held out his hand for mine. I could feel the sweat running down his palm through my gloves as I took his hand in mine.

"You _have _to get out of here," he wheezed, grabbing my hand with both of his as he held in a cough.

"What are you talking about Stashio-kun. I need to be here to help you," I told him, trying to sooth him and calm him down.

"No Dr. Haruno! It's a trap! You must leave! Everyone here is infected! If you get infected too, you might lose this baby," Stashio coughed out leaning over on his side to throw up on my shoes. I groaned and thanked Kami I wore my _closed _toe boots today.

Looking down, I was about to call the cleanup crew when I noticed, this throw up wasn't _throw up,_ but _blood. _

"Stashio!" I looked back at him only to see his nose bleeding and blood also coming from his mouth. He was drowning in his own blood.

"Get out… you and Dr. Shizune…. Must get out," Stashio whispered before the monitor attached to him started beeping a flat line. He died. Just like that. What was he talking about an infection. There was nothing going around the hospital unless…

"Shizune!" I yelled out ignoring the pain in my lower body and the blood coming from my nose. I had to stop this! People were already leaving and coming into the hospital. All of them were in danger and they were endangering others! _I even endangered the ones I loved and cared for! The girsl, Naruto, Gaara, everyone! I could have just sent them a death note. _Was this air bone or going through the water and food, how was it traveling? And how fast is it moving and how much of the hospital is contaminated? Why didn't I see it before? Damn, I'm so stupid!

"Sakura-san," I heard Shizune's muffled voice call to me but as I ran to where I thought she was, everything started to blur and melt into a blob of colors. _'No, not yet, I have to warn Shizune. She might not be infected yet. She has to tell mom,'_ I told myself but my body refused me.

"Let me _help_ you _Dr. Sakura Haruno," _A too kind voice purred to me. '_No! Not you! Shizune!' _I cried but the words never came to my lips. It was too late and I knew it as soon as the cold arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me back. The edges of my vision blackened as I felt myself being slowly dragged away from the people I needed to help and warn.

"Poison… Quarantine," I whispered not sure if I thought it or actually said it. The last thing I remember before my breath gave out and my body finally gave out was _Dr._ Ivy Hojikin. I was certain now that that name wasn't her's.

_Traitor. _

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_**And that's how the cookie crumbles my fans. I'd love for you to review and tell me what you think about this chapter and what you think is going to happen. It's always interesting and helpful to here your thoughts. =) **_

_**I promise that I will update within a week and a half, I'm also working on one of the stories I told you from before and will be posting it very soon but I'm focused on this at the moment. **_

_**Enjoy and I'll see you guys again very soon ^-^**_

_**-Mucho Love**_

_**Yuuki ^_~**_


	7. Month Six: Part One

_**Hey my faithful readers! Toasty and I are back with a new chapter! So I'm going to skip all my talking and blah blah blah…**_

_***Six hours later***_

…_**So like I was saying I'm going to skip all my talking and go straight into the chapter! Enjoy and please review later!**_

_**Songs I used to create this chapter: **__**To Be Loved… by Papa Roach, Same Direction by Hoobastank, Hero by Skillet, I'm Sorry I Am by Brokencyde, Lithium by Evanescence, Changing & You're Not Alone by Saosin, Like We Use To (Piano Ver.) by A Rocket to the Moon, Rainy Days by Late Night Alumni, and Paper cut by Linkin Park.**_

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_**A Midsummer Dream**_

_**Chapter Seven –Month Six: Part One – Realizing It's Too Late**_

_**Gaara POV**_

I was _beyond _furious! How could she leave _me_ for that piece of no good _shit_! Just hearing him talk to her like that had my blood boiling enough to kill him _three_ times over and make each death a different and brutal bloody torture for the bastard…

And that was the so called 'man' was going to be the so called 'father' of _MY _child! HELL NO! I will bitch slap kami before I let that shit happen!

And Sakura! How could she stand for that mess and let herself and the baby go through all that? That isn't the Sakura I grew to love at Suna. This weak scared girl is not the beautiful strong woman I know! Where, who or what has made her become this way? I love her _so_ much; how could she do this to me? Every time I think about everything that's happened I feel my chest start to cave in and the desire to grab her and just hold her to me get stronger. But I know if I do that, I'll scare her away.

I know I screwed up when we had the talk in my office and I shouldn't have led her to believe that I didn't want a family but…I didn't know she would go this far. All I wanted now is for me and Sakura to go back home, wherever our home will be, and have this baby _together. _I don't want this baby to be born with us still on bad terms. I don't want this baby to be born and us _not_ be together. It would be too familiar…

"Gaara-ojisan!" a small voice called to me. I turned just in time to see my two favorite girls tackle me with all their might to the ground. I laughed at their sad but cute attempts to 'torture' me.

"We got you now Gaara-ojisan!" Kandi yelled to me as her small fist repeatedly came in contact with the weapons pouch across my chest. _**(A/N: In case anyone didn't know this – the tan thing on Gaara's chest in **__**Naruto Shippuden**__** is actually a weapons' pouch/leather armor with some pants and seals on his legs, then finally his shinobi sandals.) **_

"Yes you got me," I spoke softly and held them to me as I stood up with one twin on each hip. They laughed and held on to me as I finished my way up the stairs of the hotel we were all staying at. I could hear Tsunade-sama's slug and the little toad, Gamakichi from behind me. They were trying to whisper but it wasn't working too well.

"You should have summoned Naruto up at the first sign of Sasuke," the slug scowled at the tiny toad on her side.

"I know but what was I supposed to do? Jump down in front of him and attempt a summoning? With his speed combined with his sharingan, I wouldn't have made it to the ground before I was run through with his sword! Not to mention I would endanger the girls!" the toad crocked back with a hiss.

"I know but Sakura could have been seriously hurt! Have you even thought about what might have happened to the baby?" The slug all but growled at the small thing. He didn't say anything back.

"I have the girls now. Leave," I stated to them not even bothering to turn around and face them. "I completely agree with Ms. Slug. If the toad had strict orders to summon Naruto if anything were to happen and he didn't, it would have been his head on my wall had Sakura or the girl gotten hurt." Two soft poofs later, they were gone.

"Aw, will we see Katsuya and Gami soon Gaara-ojisan?" Nandi asked with a cute yawn. I swear this little girl would grow up a heart breaker. She had already taken my heart into her small palms and played it like a drum. If I had a girl I hoped she would turn out to be a combo of these two. That would be perfect. I'd baby her, give her everything she ever wanted and if she wanted to become a shinobi like her mother and father… well that was too fucking bad cause I was not going to let her get in that line of duty where she could be hurt. No, it's too fucking bad.

"Yes I'm sure you will. Where is Temari?" I asked, suddenly realizing my oldest sibling had left but failed to return. I should have been mad at her but then again, she hadn't seen her fiancé, that Nara boy, in a while and like me with Sakura, she wanted to see him as much as possible. Still, the girls had been put in harm's way and everyone involved was at fault.

"She wanted to play drink the soda with Miss Ino for her wedding party," Kandi piped in giggling. Oh goodness great, now tomorrow I'm going to have to pick up that light weight from Ino's. Kami knows Temari loves to have fun and drink but she could have a sip of sake and lose it all. But Ino on the other hand was really heavy. Those two together spelled out disaster in huge bold letters.

"Is that so? Hn." I climbed the stairs with the girls in silence and before I could get to our floor, Nandi was asleep and Kandi slowly drifting off to join her.

"Gaara-ojisan?" Her tiny voice spoke to me in a shaken tone I had never heard from her.

"Yes Kandi," I answered soft, slowing my walk and looking down to her. I didn't truly take her in until then. Her usually beautiful dark sandy blonde hair was matted with sweat and dirt. The huge blue eyes that captured me in the first place were dull and shaking with tears leaking from the sides to run down her cheek. I felt her tiny body against mine shaking. Whatever happened today before I came really scared her, and if it had this affect on her then her sister was worse off. I would have had to watch them closely as they slept tonight.

"Where were you when we needed you?" she asked a little stronger, hiding her eyes from me behind her long bangs.

Before I could answer, Kandi went on, "Miss Sakura needed you! We needed you! Where were you? Is it because you're mad at Miss Sakura? If you love her, even if you're mad at her, why would you allow her to get hurt? Or me and Nandi to get hurt? Why? What if Miss Sakura and your baby got hurt! It would be your fault!" she yelled and sobbed to me. I had left her, Nandi, Sakura, and my unborn child down. I hadn't been there in time to give the girls some sort of comfort and Sakura had to defend everyone on her own, and in the condition she was in.

"Kandi, I'm sorry I wasn't there but I didn't mean to put you in harm's way. I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" I asked getting to the door and using my sand to get our key card and opening it.

"It's not about me Gaara-ojisan. Miss Sakura is the one you need to get back. I want her back too Gaara-ojisan and so does Nandi. Ojisan should talk to her and tell her everything and maybe she'll…" She took a moment to yawn cutely as I laid her and her sister down. "He'll find out that Miss Sakura wants Ojisan back just as much and is just too scared." I nodded and got a towel, dunking it in warm water before coming back and wiping them down a little so they would go to bed semi-clean. They were both out before I was down cleaning their hands.

How did a pair of little seven year old twins make more sense and understanding than a grown man?

Smiling, I went through the door that connected Kankuro and my rooms. He was in there watching something perverted on the TV. _He's going to find him a wife that's as much of a freak as him, or worse _Gaara thought to himself.

"I was wondering where you went. Temari and the girls ok?" Kankuro asked not taking his eyes off the screen. I didn't answer him, just went to the bathroom. It wasn't until I put the girls to bed that I realized my bladder was about to explode!

I flushed and washed my hands quickly and just as I was about to reach for the towel to dry my hands, I saw something in the mirror that would make any grown man scream like a frightened child. There in the mirror, instead of my reflection as I had been, was the short boy of my past - the one that killed because the blood on his hands made him stronger, or so he thought. But he was not alone, or should I say: _himself. _

His left eye was glowing the golden hue I knew all too well. The spinning black diamond in the middle seemed to almost hypnotize me as the dark dots around it followed. The little boy with red blood hair grinned a sadistic smile as his kills' blood seeped down his forearms and, from an unknown source, his head too. The blood ran down his face like water like a river, over his forehead and dripped across his eye to his cheek. His breathing grew more erratic with mine. His body was not trembling for the same reason as mine, fear, but rather from the pure joy and laughter that bubbled from his chest and erupted through his mouth.

"Why are you scared _Gaara_?" the small boy asked me from inside the mirror. His white teeth stained with blood showed from behind his lips as he took a step towards me and I took a step back.

"You aren't real," I whispered to myself more than him.

"But aren't I? Three years ago you were me and this sad excuse for a man you have become never existed, not even in our thoughts." His smile crept up his face a little wider.

"I was scared and alone and everyone hated and wanted to kill me! That includes the people that were my blood! The ones that were supposed to support and love me through any and everything! Of course I went a little crazy! My own father wanted me dead! My mother I never knew except for what she looked like and Yashamaru, the ONE person who actually wasn't scared of me tried to kill me! So fucking blame me that I was so screwed up as a kid!" I yelled at the mirror, not really paying attention to the TV shutting off behind the closed bathroom door.

"Yes I know we were hurt so many times. And yet, now after all you know, you still risk your heart with the pink bitch? Why are you trying to hurt us?" younger me asked with almost true concern.

"Because she was the one who saw me for me, she loves me… she loves us," I whispered really starting to shake.

"Give up. Your heart belongs to us. Your heart belongs to the sweet metallic blood that used to drench our lips and stain our hands. That is our true love, not some hoe that got knocked up," he explained reaching from beyond the mirror to touch the spot behind my clothes where my heart beat rapidly. My anger spiked at his words and my fists clenched at my sides. Sand slowly flowed into the small bathroom from under the door and began to swirl around me. I could hear Kankuro knocking at the door asking me if I was alright but I tuned it out. The Gaara in the mirror slowly stepped back, watching the sand begin to flow slowly throughout the room. Fear flashed in his eyes as my true reflection started to show like a faded shadow besides him. I saw there that my eyes were darkening by the second and the true red hot anger seemed from the corners of my sight. This was not Shukaku but something new, and I liked it.

"_Sakura," _I whispered her name I tilted my head to the side and slowly dragged it back. "My Sakura," I took a deep breath letting my breathing even out and Kankuro's banging on the room and yells for me drown away. I felt like the room was starting to shake and deform around me, like it was melting away.

"My Sakura is my salvation. She loves me and I love her just as much. We love each other so much that the child growing in her came to be. I will _not_ be coming back to that state in which you are forever stuck in," I spoke to the Gaara in the mirror as he slowly started to fade away. The sand around me moved faster and violently with each breath I took. The room had really started to shake now and I opened my eyes, snapping my head up to look at the mirror. My reflection was almost complete as his was almost gone.

"I never give up. I take my past, burn it up, and then let you go!" I grinned and punched the mirror. It cracked and fell to the floor with a clink for each piece. Looking down, the Gaara that I use to be was no more and I stared back into myself. My eyes were tinted red but it was me. The room quieted and the sand around me went back to swirling almost peacefully around my form. I finally let the world around me come back to hear Kankuro still banging outside on the door.

"I'm alright," I said evenly as I opened the door. His face was dripping sweat as he looked me in the eye.

"I heard you speaking to someone… about everything…" he told me unsurely. All I did was nod and walk past him. I went to the joining door and peeked inside to check on the girls. They were wild sleepers but I was hoping my episode in the bathroom didn't disturb them. Luckily, it didn't.

"I'm leaving," I told Kankuro abruptly. "If I'm not back by the time the girls get up – feed them, get them dressed, then pick up Temari's _ass_ from Ino's. She'll probably have a massive hangover." I didn't even wait for his answer as I stepped onto the balcony and closed the door. Letting my body relax, I felt the tiny pieces of myself begin to break off and morph into the sand, the wind doing the rest as it carried me around the village to the top of the Hokage Mountain. The crescent moon hung brightly in the sky and illuminated the village with an iridescent glow. From a little way, I could see the hospital's lights and even recognized the huge windows of the children's wing. For a moment, I thought I saw a Sakura being carried from the building in the arms of some red headed woman, but knew it wasn't true. I blinked twice and sure enough it was just an old couple walking out. _Strange. _

'_Gaara' _the wind whispered into my ear as I continued to watch the hospital. Thinking of everything, I really had been too rash. I had my right to be mad, but yelling and carrying on as I had been would have never gotten Sakura back into my arms and life. I needed to remind her of the love and passion we still had for each other, and that I would be the best father and husband to her and our unborn child. I needed to show her that the worthless Uchiha wasn't what she needed - it was me. It was me that should be there, not him. It should have been me holding her close every night, me holding her hand, me taking her shopping, not the bastard! He barely deserved a rat's ass to screw much less anything else! I missed Sakura so much! And I've missed so much of my baby's time and memories that I will never get back.

'_**You smell that kid?'**_Shukaku spoke up to me suddenly. Sniffing, it smelt almost like poison, or medicine, but something wasn't right. There wasn't a mist or anything it just smelt kind of funny. Sand began to swirl around me angrily.

'_What is it?' _I mentally asked him as I stood and looked around for the 'enemy'.

'_**I don't know. Go back and get Temari. Stay inside with our girls and I'll do the rest. Go!'**_ Shukaku sounded almost _scared._ Doing as he said, I went by Ino's and told her to get Choji and everyone else near and come to our hotel as fast as possible. Something was happening and if we didn't hurry up it would claim us all. I flung Temari's passed out body over my shoulder and in a moment we were back inside the hotel room. Kankuro was by my side with a kunai in a flash.

"What's wrong?" I asked in a serious tone. Even this dumb ass noticed the change.

"Something's wrong. Everyone is coming here so get ready. We're having a shut in." I told him as I laid Temari down next to the girls. Within five minutes everyone that Sakura probably knew was in our rooms and as soon as the door shut, Shukaku took over my body, not even giving me a warning.

Sand rushed into the room and covered the room's walls, floor and roof. It barricaded us in and covered all the cracks, protecting us from the invisible enemy. Suddenly it all swallowed us up and we were blowing in the wind with screams of confusion. I had guessed he had everything set because Shukaku released me onto the floor. I could hear the voices collect around me in worriment.

"I'm fine." I coughed out sand and rolled on my side, trying to sit up.

"What the hell was that? Why are we here Kazekage-sama?" Ino's voice screamed at me. I cracked my eyes open and found us in Tsunande-sama's sleeping chambers, her in her sleep robs and her hair down.

"I would like that answer as well," she said sternly trying to keep her anger at bay.

"Shukaku knows something is wrong in the village. We are about to be, or already have been attacked," I managed to cough out as sand seemed from my gourd and covered the walls once more. "Where is Sakura?"

"She's working late tonight at the hospital," Tsunade yelled, running to where the window was and striking it through with her chakra-enhanced strength. Before the sand could close again, she leaped out with me in tow. I knew the sand would have stayed in place to protect the others but that wasn't what I was worried about.

"You smell that, don't you?" I asked her as she paused for a fraction of a second and sniffed before taking off running again. She nodded as we jumped from roof top to top to get to the hospital. We finally got there and before we reached the door, Tsunade's assistant, Shizune, came rushing out coughing and stumbling. Tsunade was at her side holding her upright in a moment.

"What happened?" She shook the small woman's form as ominous blue gas began to leak slowly from the hospital doors and windows and dissipate. The smell that lingered on the Hokage Mountain now took full force like a cannon ball hitting your chest. I still didn't know what it was but it was getting worse.

"The corpses and the all the rest of the sick ANBU…" Shizune wheezed as she held her side, a cold sweat forming on her waxing skin. "They were all infected by the poison, but what he didn't know was that the poison got into _their_ skin and blood stream. Every time one died or coughed or anything, the poison would evaporate into the air. Ma'am, the whole hospital is infected as well as anyone who has been in or out of here since the ANBU arrived!"

"Oh shit…" Tsunade whispered in a daze until it finally hit her. She shot into panic mode. "Where's Sakura? And the baby, where are they? Are they ok? ANSWER ME!"

"Ma'am… we can't find her. We don't know anything about her whereabouts or her condition…I'm so sorry." She half sobbed before finally giving into the infection. Shizune's eyes rolled back and she collapsed against Tsunade.

"Hokage-sama…," began my voice, calm and cool, not giving away my fear or anxiety. Taking a deep breath I heard the younger Gaara's voice come from the back of my mind, laughing and teasing me about how I deserved this for not listening. He was quickly shut up by Shukaku.

'_**We will find her. She is ours. Sasuke can fuck himself and if Naruto wants to help, he can. The Copy shinobi will be a great asset as well. Let's get moving!'**_

'_But we have no idea where she is or who….took her.'_ It hit me then - the flash of pink and red by the hospital, the call of my name - it was Sakura getting kidnapped and her calling out to me for help! Kami, how could I be so stupid!

"A person works here with bright long red hair. Their tall and tanned, who is it?" I asked Tsunade, letting my mind work a million miles a minute.

"Kazekage-sama, this is my villag-"

"And she is my wife! She carries my baby and she was taken from YOUR village! NOW ANSWER ME WOMAN!" Even though I had yelled at her, almost threatened her and unconsciously sent my sand to start up her feet – she remained calm and collected. The fear she had moments ago when she was told her daughter was missing had left and all that remained was the wise elderly woman who had the military smarts from previous wars.

"I understand you are worried and so am I. But right now my concern is for the villages that are now being infected by this plague. It is with a broken heart and Hokage's knowledge that I say this." A small smiled graced her thin lips then faded away as her eyes dulled and hardened, superiority in her stance.

"Just answer my question Tsunade," I almost begged my voice hard and cold.

"Her name is _'Doctor´ _Ivy Hojikin, but as of this moment, no one will be leaving for any such reason. Nor will anyone enter these gates. Shinobi missions will be cancelled and any and all shinobi residing in the village shall be put on security detailed assignment. Any shinobi with medical attention shall report to me and help me in the hospital and anywhere else. All shinobi currently on mission will report to the Sunagakure. This is now a Level 5 code Blue situation, Quarantine."

All that Lady Hokage said was passed within the hour. By midnight, everything was set into motion and by morning, the village looked like a ghost town. No one left their homes or traded. Medic Shinobi went door to door every hour to look for more people who were showing signs of infection and brought them to the hospital for treatment. If a person had hidden their loved ones because they were sick – which several of the stricken ones did - both persons, infected and not, would have been taken to the hospital to be checked out, not doubting that both would have been infected as well.

Bleeding from the eyes or mouth, cold sweat, burn like marks appearing, red eyes, etcetera, were signs of the infection from the poison and within the first twelve hours of the Quarantine, over a 100 people – shinobi and villagers alike – were brought to the hospital. Those who were already sick or elderly were the first to get hit and within two hours, they died.

It was so tragic and heart breaking to hear the loved ones cry out in pain or fear but the whole time, I couldn't help but not give a damn. I saw them as luck. They at least knew that their loved ones' suffering would either be put to an end or that they would come home soon; ready to put this horrid memory behind them. I, however, and the rest of us that cared for Sakura, were stuck here in this small room. We were unable to search for her and get her the medical care she and our unborn child so desperately needed. We were left here to sweat in the heat and eat stale bread, our muscles tightening with tension and our anxiety rising higher and higher.

As each minute, hour and day passed us by, the chances of seeing Sakura again alive were growing slimmer and slimmer. The chances of seeing the baby come out of this unscathed were diminished to almost none at all by the end of the week. Lady Hokage even summoned the slug, Katsuya, to help by dividing in two. One half stayed at the village center in case anything happened, the other at the hospital. Captain Yamato would have been able to place a well up to protect us while Katsuya could defend, along with all the other shinobi on duty. Of course I had volunteered to help out but Tsunade-sama had said that I was too emotionally compromised as well as anyone close to her and the baby.

The only thing that brought all of us a slight smile to all our faces was when news reached us of Sasuke. Oh what a joyous that day was!

"Well I have news," Tsunade signed as she came in that night. The pockets and wrinkles in her skin were deepening with each passing day.

"If it's not about Sakura, I don't give a shit," I mumbled getting up to get some water.

"Gaara! Watch your tongue!" Temari scolded me as she covered the girls' ears. They weren't doing so well in the cramped space we were all forced to share, but at least none of us were sick. . . at least not yet, that is.

"As I was saying," Tsunade said, sitting down with some sake. I swear the woman should be in a club for all time alcoholics or something. "Sasuke was admitted into the hospital today. I know none of us are really on good terms with him but you'll want to visit him now."

"And why is that?" Ino piped in from Choji's lap in the corner.

"'Cause he was admitted after being bitten in the crotch. Apparently, he and another woman were…_'mating'_… and when she went to _'tend to his sea dragon'_ she started to have a stroke caused by the infection, effectively biting something that now needs to be repaired." Three seconds of total silence passed before everyone started to literally roll on the ground laughing. Even I had to sit down and hold my sides. That sad son of a bitch finally got what he deserved! It didn't even hit me until I stopped laughing that Tsunade had just told me Sasuke was cheating on Sakura and didn't even care if she was ok or not. Hell, I didn't even care! This just gave Sakura and I the prefect chance to be back together.

If I ever see her again…

If I ever see our baby born or alive…

Oh great kami, I'm depressed again.

"Gaara-ojisan, what is a sea dragon? Do you have one? Can we see it?" Nandi came up to my leg and asked me, bouncing around with Kandi right behind her.

"Hell no! Never! Not until you're older than me with three kids of your own!" I couldn't have believed she just asked me that. _Oh kami, I think I just had a mini heart attack._ The whole room went silent again until Tsunade busted in a fit of laughter again. She might have thought that this was funny but I sure as hell didn't.

"I don't get it," Nandi whispered to her sister. Kandi just shook her head, just as confused as her twin.

Shaking my head, I took a few chugs of my water and closed my eyes. I missed Sakura so much. God please let her be alright.

_**Sakura POV**_

Panting and sweating, I walked on behind the horse. Savanna, I later found out had been Ivy's real name, and her male partner had been arguing all day. We had been walking now for six days straight with the end looking nowhere in sight.

"Break," called out the male. This was our first stop all day, and like all the other breaks from the previous day, they gave the horses some water as well as themselves but I had to drink _after_ the horses. I loved animals and it didn't bother me that much… until I saw the bowl had about three drops of water left.

"Come on," the male yelled at me, tugging at the tight rope tied around my wrist. It burned but I didn't complain. I was glad that it was all the physical pain they had caused today. Whether it was beating me for walking too slow, or slapping me until I finally passed out, it was always worse the next go round. The tight iron cast collar around my neck began to shock me as I tried to heal my wrist like a dog being shocked for barking. It was then I knew how Akamaru must feel. Poor dog.

"I said come on you pregnant bitch!" The male striked me again and knocked me to the ground. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I failed to realize I had yet to get up and move. The horse looked to me from a foot ahead, almost with sorrow or pity.

"Look! It's Akuna!" Savanna yelled out, pointing at a figure in the distance. This person, Akuna, was not alone.

"So you got the female from the west? Good job," the male praised Akuna as he stepped out from the bushes, but I didn't even glance at him. All I was worried about was the woman, not much older than me, who had just dropped to the ground. Her grey streaked hair was matted with blood and the wounds on her upper chest and arms could have been fatal had they been any deeper.

"Thank you Zeal. So we can cross off one Haruno Sakura and one Miszuki Janine," Akuna focus was still on the unmoving woman. Kami, was she dead?

"Miszuki?" I whispered to myself and sure enough, Miszuki turned her head to look at me. Whatever kind of battle had happened between them had broken Miszuki down.

"So _Sakura_, how does it feel to know your life's balancing at the tips of my fingers?" an all too familiar voice rang in my ear. Eyes starting to widen, I turned my head slowly to my left and met the one person I really didn't expect.

"_Neenah?"_

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_**And once again my happy readers, that's how the cookie crumbles. I know this was a tad shorter than my other chapters but I'll make it up to you next chapter. I hope you enjoy and more drama to come as the plot thickens and the action rises. Listen to those songs I listed at the top and see if you can match up which section of the chapter goes to which song. It really makes the chapter if you listen to them while you read. It's like watching a movie with no sound, the audio is 40% of the movie. Same thing applies here…sort of! Ha-ha anyway. Hope you enjoyed it and please leave me a review! **_

_**-Yuuki**_


	8. Month Six: Part Two

_**Dear Readers, I could say a lot right now as to way I haven't updated in such a long time but I won't. Bottom line will still be that I am sorry and that it was in the long line of my fault. This will be my last chapter this year, that's why it's so long (and to give you guys what you've been waiting for). I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday and a fantastic New Year. I'll be with my family in Chicago. I'm so excited, I haven't seen them in almost three years and on top of that, the day I'm supposed to arrive is the day my sister will be giving birth to my niece – Parker Violet Mari ***** (Sorry no last name, she's still deciding on whether to give Parker her last name or the father's). **_

_**Anyway, I do have some news for you. About two chapters ago, I told you I would be starting three other stories. Well plans have changed and instead of those three, I will be starting those three plus one or two others. I'm still working out the schedule with my betas but either way, the next time I post a chapter I'll be starting another story as well so make sure to look on my profile to see which one I decided to start first. **_

_**Again, Happy Holidays and Safety First! **_

_**Love you all, **_

_**-Yuuki**_

'_Thought'_

'_**Inner'**_

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_**A Midsummer Dream**_

_**Chapter Eight – Month Six: Part Two – The Stupid Fighting Chance You Thought You Had**_

_**Sakura's POV**_

"Get her!" Neenah yelled from behind me as soon as I lifted myself up and started running for my life. I sudden burst of adrenalin had hit me as soon as I knew it was Neenah. There was no way in hell I was staying here and giving up without giving a fight. I was dehydrated, slowed down by my baby bump, weak from hunger and my body was over-heating because of the hot sun above, even if it was almost the middle of autumn. Damn, the odds weren't looking good for me but too fucking bad. I can do the impossible, right?

Wrong.

I made it ten and a half steps away before the big guy tackled me to the ground. It took all I had just to roll us over before we hit the ground so he wouldn't put all his muscled weight on my baby. Zeal punched me in the face before lifting himself up and grabbing me by the collar to drag me back. Neenah or Akuna as was her real name, just grinned as she twirled a kunai around her index finger.

"Still got that fire, don't you Sakura-_chan_," She asked as she squatted down beside me, taking my chin between her manicured fingers and examining my face. Frowning, and grabbed my belly, pressing and prodding in certain areas.

"Get an IV on her, she's the one we need the most. If she dies or gets seriously injured, so does the baby. If that baby is harmed in any way, we are all screwed and we have to wait for the Kazekage to knock up someone else. Hurry up and set up camp so we can feed them!" Akuna, Neenah, whatever the bitches name was, barked out orders to the other two – Zeal and Savanna. To my surprise, they followed her orders and Savanna came to me with a clean bottle of water to drink for me. I took it fast and backed away towards Miszuki. She was barely couscous and tremors were shaking her body so violently, it looked as though she were having a seizure.

She looked at me as I approached and began to say something but I stopped her. "Drink," I ordered her and used the last of my strength to sit her up and hold the water bottle to her lips. It was emptied in a minute. Her body responded almost instantly and stopped shaking so badly. Smiling at me, she began to cry, mumbling incoherently. I caught the jist of it – she was sorry, she had been attacked, had underestimated Akuna, and blacked out.

"Did I tell you to give the horse shit water!" Akuna yelled, slapping me across the face. The collar began to shock me and I couldn't help it as the electricity ran through my body and my muscles began to spasm uncontrollably. I don't know how long she let me suffer but some time later, my vision cleared and Miszuki was over me, still crying.

"Come on, you have to eat," She whispered to me as helped me sit up. Zeal approached us, a satisfied smirk plastered on his lips as he dropped and tin plate of corn meal a few feet away from up along with two waters. As he walked about, he muttered something to Savanna while grabbing her ass. Gosh, get a room. We said nothing until Miszuki noticed I wasn't eating.

"Sakura-sama! You must eat!" She yelled in a whisper, looking pointedly. I gave her a look saying that even though she wasn't my assistant anymore, I was still her superior. She bowed her head and continued to talk. "Please Sakura-sama, you must eat."

"Stop calling me Sama. Sakura is fine. You are injured and you need the food more to heal faster. Even though we are not allowed or able to use our chakra, it still flows through us and because we are medics, it does what we command it to do without even trying. If a fire user wants to burn the ropes, his palms will eat up as the chakra starts to pool there, already ready to do what it knows he wants. It is the same concept with medics." My voice was even and my eyes never left Akuna. Her back was to me as she and the other two talked a few yards away from us.

"That maybe true but Sakura, you're the one with the baby. The only way we both will survive until help arrives is to make sure the baby is ok and healthy." Her eyes never left mine, but I never met hers. Miszuki might be younger than me, but she was very wise. She knew the deep shit we were in wasn't child's play. We needed a plan.

"Get up bitches," Savanna barked out, tying our hands to the back of the horse as we stood. We began to walk and didn't stop until the sun had been down for a good hour and Miszuki's face began to clam up with a cold sweat. Akuna wasn't as stupid as she had led on to be when we first met. As soon as we stopped, she pulled our hands free from the horse's saddle and tied it to a branch high in a tree. There was enough rope for our arms to rest but not enough for us to do more. I couldn't even pull my arms down around my stomach to protect the baby from the cold. Miszuki wasn't doing any better, but I knew I had trained her well. She sat there, shivering and wavering her position, probably about to pass out. But she didn't say a thing, held her head up high, gave a look as if she didn't care, that she was just fine. _That's my girl._

_**We taught her well. **_

_I suppose but not well enough if she got caught. _

"Come here," I said gently and pulled her to me. It took us a minute but we situated ourselves so that Miszuki rested her head on my breast and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She almost instantly fell into a deep sleep, the day's pressures too much for her to handle. She found her escape in her dreams, _even if only for a few hours._

_**What are we going to do? Are there any others who have been captured?**_

_I don't know. Rest. We have to think._

Sakumo didn't say anything else but I stayed up for awhile longer. The village needed me more than I needed them to save us. With the poison going and spreading around so fast, everyone in that hospital, from the healthiest nurse to the sickest ICU patient, would be dead in a matter of days. Anyone that travels in or out since the ANBU squad had been hospital could possibly be a carrier or already infected. If they got home to their village and families, they would be infected as well and all hell would break free, instead of just leaking out like it is now. What could be done? Even if I wasn't captured, even if I had known about the infection sooner, even if I had told mother in time, what could have been done?

_Damn it!_

I don't know when sleep claimed my racing mind, but I woke up to Zeal kicking my legs and barking at us to wake up. I nodded and woke Miszuki gently and we got up. The sun's rays were barely touching the horizon in deep pink and purple hues. More corn meal and water had been left for us. I didn't eat again, even though my body was begging me to. But I was too afraid to. The baby hadn't moved or anything since Savanna had dragged me from the hospital. I refused to think about the possibilities even though they whispered themselves over and over in my ear.

'_Don't fear something you do not know. Fear something that you cannot change.'_ Mother's words drifted into my thoughts as they began to pack up camp and tied us back to the horse. Proof of what I told Miszuki the day before, her cuts had almost completely healed. All that was left of them were the bruises. They looked horrible but far less damage had been done than it seemed. Still keeping her cool demeanor, Miszuki didn't say a word, kept her breathing even though she was weary. Her body begged to shake with exhaustion but she fought it off and took each step with pride in her heeled kunoichi sandals. Just like my mother had taught me, I had taught her as well. My boots may be heavy and thick but the heels were the same as every other girl's and I took the clunky steps with the proud show of strength I knew I didn't have.

This time we didn't stop for a break. This time they gave us a water bottle and told us we better not drink it all at once because we weren't getting any more until dinner that night. When I had to go to the bathroom, they graciously let me… while Zeal watched. The perverted fool actually got turned on by me peeing for two minutes straight. _I swear, men*argh*_. It wasn't until I had called a stop for the fourth time did they let Miszuki come with me and instead of Zeal, Savanna escorted us.

Miszuki looked tired and I ended up giving her my water bottle after I drank a little. I really didn't want to have to keep stopping and peeing.

"Yes! Record time babies!" Zeal yelled out suddenly just as the sun descended behind the tall trees. I huge rock formation stood in front of us about two miles away. We had arrived.

"Now the real hell begins," Akuna whispered in delight as she looked back at us. We kept hearing noises around us and looked around to see there were others groups with women tired and bleeding behind them. _What was this?_ _Kunoichi rumble or something?_

"Far worse," Miszuki whispered, almost reading my thoughts. Watching the women and groups of three get closer and closer to us, I began to notice just what was happening, at least a part of it. All of hostages were kunoichi that much was obvious. But all of them were _medics_, and the thought that had a shiver running down my spine was the fact that I recognized all of their faces from the Bingo book back in Suna. These women were the best of the best in their villages. Some of them from lands I had only heard of and some I knew from the International Medics Convention that was held once every three years.

These strong, bold, beautiful women were _broken. _Not just injured or bleeding or with broken limbs, but _mentally and emotionally broken. _The women I knew and had seen and loved that were full of life and love, most with great families, before I left for Suna were now shut down and distant. Most were a lot older than myself and were much more experienced. But only the ones that were just plain strong in all aspects of life were the ones with the light still in their eyes and the hope burning in the smirks they wore. The others were nothing more than breathing dead.

Miszuki whimpered beside me and I looked to see the unshed tears in her eyes. The women we had looked up to and hoped to become someday with time, the ones with grace and poise with a biting attitude to back it up, the one that had a desire for life like no other burning in their souls, like a forest ablaze were now all around us cowering like scared little children. I nodded to Miszuki, giving her permission to let the two tears shed for the fallen, one for her and other for me.

I spotted one of my mom's old friends, Yurie Shimasu, one of the few proudest and toughest warriors among us that still had her sanity. Her six foot seven inch tall and curvy physique was still the same. Her long graceful strides never faltered as she spotted me and her captors pulled on her ties. Beaten, muddy, her vibrant red curls were matted with blood, but she still looked like a floating goddess. Just like mom, her old age showed nothing older than a youthful adult in her prime.

"Sakura dear," Mrs. Shimasu spoke to me in a low voice when she got close enough, her heavily accented voice a familiar reassurance. Her strength and authority still rang in her voice and it gave me the little boost I needed as we entered the dark cavern. The only things we heard were each other and the others walking around us. The horses' footsteps hollowly echoed off the walls. I turned to speak to Mrs. Shimasu but was slapped by her captor. I only got a quick glance of her and the thick metal collar around her neck.

"I'm so happy yet so saddened that you're here. If they were able to get you then there is no hope at all for the rest of us to escape," I whispered over my shoulder. Her deep Brazilian laugh made my shoulders vibrate as I felt her press a heavy hand to my back. Out the corner of my eye, I saw her captor hit her with some sort of metal bat as hard as he could but Yurie didn't even flinch.

"Dear child, the only reason they were able to get me is because the cowards took my baby girl, Mika, away from me in the middle of the night. I was at my home in Brazil when they took her. My baby is safe now and I'm here out of my own free will. If I had wanted to, I could have walked away with ease." The confidence in her voice was just the same as I remembered. But she spoke the truth. At the ripe age of fifty-nine, Yurie was a retired kunoichi, but she could still kick ass.

She fought in the Great Shinobi War with mom. Even though she grew up in Brazil, she was Japanese. When she was young, her father taught her how to street fight and it built her strength to match that of a body building man. Add that to her Chakra enhanced speed and agility, _and_ the fact that, like mom and I, she has enhanced strength, she is almost an unstoppable force.

"What's with the blood?" Miszuki asked. She hadn't said a word since we spotted Mrs. Shimasu.

"My captor didn't like it when I bit his lips half off as he tried to make a pass at me. The young fool thought it a suitable punishment to spit the wasted blood on me instead of ignoring his wounded pride long enough to let him walk away." I couldn't help the laugh that flew from my throat and bounced off the wet cave around us. Someone in front of us threw something hard and jagged at my head but I kept laughing, even with the blood running down my forehead and into my eyes.

"I'm glad you're laughing child because I have some questions for you. Starting with where is your mother, how did you land yourself here after all the training me and your mother put you through and why is there a youngling growing in your womb but no wedding band around your finger? Do not lie to me child or I'll kick your ass like back in training.

Sighing, I figured I would come clean and I told her everything. She listened and didn't utter a sound until I was finished. I heard her take a breath to speak but was silenced by the bright light erupting from in front of us blinding us all. Hissing in pain beside me, Miszuki hide her face behind her arms as did I. When the light finally dimed, we were inside the center of the cave.

It was like a bee hive crossed with a laboratory. About half way up, the hive was all lab rooms and clean areas, or at least that's what it looked like. The other half of the cave was caged cells with women who looked like they had been there for ages. _Kami, what are they doing in this nut house. _

It wasn't until we started going down the spiral staircase that I noticed that most of the women were pregnant and the others that weren't were either more experienced medics or just low leveled kunoichi used as lab rats. It smelled like a zoo's shit truck and looked even worse. They wore what looked like, or what used to be, what they arrived in but the cave's cold dirt interior had cut and sliced them up. There weren't any bathrooms, just a deep hole in the corner. I'm assuming the brown stuff on the floor isn't mud. I could see on the other side of the cave, they were cleaning the cells with huge sweepers and frozen chemical gas baths, the kind we used in the hospital when there has been a hazardous chemical spill or something of that nature. It's very potent and almost deadly if you inhale too much of it. Although the cleaning crew had masks on the women did not.

The same chemical baths they were using on the cells they were using to clean the women. I can't even image how painful that is but I guess I will experience it firsthand very soon. Those chemical baths are already frozen but once they make contact with air they turn into liquid until they make contact with something else, to then freeze again. It could take _hours_ to get them to thaw out and any tempts to get it to move or come off would most likely end with non-stop bleeding.

The last thing I noticed before being shoved into the pit that would be our hell until someone came for us, or we died, was that every single one of the women wore the thick shock collars.

"What has humanity come to? To do this to our own. We may not look the same but we are all brothers and sisters from the beginning of time." Mrs. Shimasu's voice broke with tears as she stood at the cell bars, her back to us in a warrior's stance even in this moment of weakness, as she looked out at all the women that had been reduced to nothing but beast-like females.

"Mrs. Shimasu?"

"Sakura child, we are in a dire situation. The need for formalities is way past gone." Her voice regained its authority. I said the same thing to Miszuki yesterday. I looked around at the women that were here before we were shoved in, and the ten other women that were put in here with us. The grand total came to twenty seven women in an eight by six foot cell.

Even through the thick cave walls, the thunder storm that brewed outside was heard and small droplets leaked into our cell and from the top of the cavern.

"How the Kamis must weep for this act of barbarism." Yurie sighed catching a few drops in her hand. She looked at Miszuki's form huddled into my side and she beckoned us with her hand. I slid down the wall to sit, my feet twice the size they have ever been and the blisters wearing my endurance thin. Yurie sat on the other wall across from me with Miszuki tucked into her side, the radiating motherly warmth felt from where I was. We were both close enough to the cell door that light spilled and covered our bodies but kept our faces hidden in the shadows.

"Yurie, what are we going to do?" I looked into her piercing silver eyes that seemed to glow even though the rest of her face seemed to disappear. All she did was close her eyes and whisper for me to come here. Curling up with my head on her lap and wrapping my arms the baby, I fought the tears that threatened to wet my cheek at the thought that it still hadn't moved.

"What troubles you child?" Yurie's voice hummed in my ear in a low whisper. I looked up into her and noticed Miszuki was asleep as well as most of the cells occupants. Swallowing the thick lump in my throat, I grasped her hand and moved it over my belly button.

"I don't feel any-"Realization hit her and she started to move her hand over my stomach franticly. Her mouth hung open as tears filled her eyes. As one who had her child born only to die the next day, Yurie knew how I felt right now. She kissed my forehead and rubbing my belly gently as the tears started trailing down her cheeks and dripping onto my shoulder. Her eyes went unfocused and I knew she was reliving the pain of that day.

Mom had been the midwife for Yurie and during her last month of pregnancy; the baby's activity had slowly started to decrease. Fearing the worst, mom induced her labor a week ahead of her due date. The labor was rough because the baby was breached, in a 'feet first' position, they were at Yurie's home in Brazil. No hospital was available to them with the necessary equipment to do a c-section.

After almost twenty six hours of labor and a bathtub full of hot water, mom and Yurie made the final stretch and the baby boy was born on April 12. It wasn't until after he was born that they released the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and that had caused his inactivity. He was so beautiful and mom took a picture which she still hides in the bottom of her dresser.

Yurie had named him Aiden. Later that night after they laid him down, Aiden started gasping and wheezing and even though mom worked to save him and heal him, his throat collapsed under its own weight because the umbilical cord had been wrapped around it so tight. Like a wet box being sat on, his throat had a dent in it and the muscle was so weak that the weight of his head had literally crushed it before anything major could be done. He was gone.

Sitting up and wiping the tears from her face, I pulled Yurie to me and let her cry on my shoulder until she passed out. I stayed up and watched over them until sleep consumed me when I least expected it.

I woke up and Yurie's cool voice speaking in a near shout. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Miszuki kneeling before me, my jacket pillowing my head and Yurie standing tall talking to someone I couldn't see. I couldn't hear their words and the voices seemed to blend together. The screaming wind outside whipped around the cell from somewhere, causing a cold draft.

I tried to sit up but my head was splitting with an ache I couldn't describe even if I tried. My breath was heavy and the room seemed to tilt. What happened?

"Sakura!" Miszuki's voice called to me. Yurie turned and all voices ceased. Yurie helped me sit up and handed me a bit of bread.

"What happened and when did we get food?" Yurie smiled and rubbed my head. I could feel healing chakra straining to get out and help me but the shock collar went into action and stilled her movements.

"You fell asleep sitting up and when your body finally relaxed you fell over and hit your head. The bread and water was delivered to us this before we woke up but there was only enough for maybe half of us. I gave you some of mine." Smiling at the Miszuki, I thanked her and tried to get to my feet.

"So my next question is what's with all the commotion." Miszuki tried to run her fingers through her salt and pepper hair a she looked to Yurie for the answer. How Miszuki got grey hair yet she is younger than me, I'll never know but it gave her a sort of class.

"The elderly women over there came towards you, trying to touch you. When I stopped her she began to yell at me. I may look young but my age demands respect even by those who do not know me." Jutting her chin out proudly, I smiled at Yurie's fiery attitude. Sometimes I wonder if her husband was truly made for her. He was also a very proud and self assured man. His own attitude almost put Yurie's to shame.

"What elderly woman?" Looking around, I saw no one who even looked _elderly._ Then, there was movement amongst the far wall. I small bundle of robes came forward and another familiar face appeared.

"Mrs. Kruntles?" I whispered, shocked that the elderly woman was here, let alone standing to her full height as if her age had yet to touch her body.

"Yes dear it's me," She spoke. I had never heard her voice before. The first and last time we had met she had told me she was deaf and that she could not speak.

"But I thought you were-"

"I know what you thought," She held up a hand to silence me. "Truth be told, I lied. I am a medic kunoichi or at least I used to be. I pretended to be deaf and had my granddaughter sign for me because had I spoken the warning I tried to give you, the ones following me would have taken me a lot sooner. I am sorry that I was not able to help you further but it looks like apologies are too little, too late."

Sighing, the old woman sat before me, a sad smile playing on her cracked lips. I grabbed her hand and held it as she continued. "I was brought here about two weeks ago. Because of my heart condition, I'm the only one with a low grade shock collar," she pulled down her dark sweater to show us the rusted small collar around her neck. Biting into my stale bread, I nodded for her to continue once again.

"When they brought me, they began to test different exams on me. Sort of like a challenge, but for some odd reason, only I and a few other really old timers have been tested. The best of the best you could say. The rest have been drugged up and put through torture. The women who are pregnant don't get touched, unless they are in their first trimester."

"What are they searching for?" Miszuki asked as her eyes trained on the older woman. Yurie put a calming hand on her shoulder and nodded for her to settle down.

"They are looking for a drug we can't stop. They have already found a poison but it's not enough. It can be cured it just takes time, time that will cost lives. They want the drug to consume us. They want it so that infants can be taken out and they will be the only one with the cure. The highest bidder will save their child." My heart stopped as I looked into Mrs. Kruntles eyes and saw the truth.

"How close are they?" Yurie demanded squeezing my shoulders into her side.

"Not sure. The tests I'm subjected to are getting harder but I'm still finishing in under half an hour so I'm guessing their about half way through." She didn't get to say anything. Three men dressed in grey armour came with electric sparking poles, and another two with lab coats on.

"Get up," one of them order to Mrs. Kruntles as they dug the pole into a small hole in her collar and dragged her from the cell. She began to march up the stairs as the lab men pointed to someone else and Yurie.

"No!" Miszuki held onto Yurie's arm but she patted her arm and made Miszuki let go. Standing, she grabbed one man's rod, the electric sparks running up her arm, and stuck it into her own collar. As she walked out, her tall form and proud demeanor made it look like she was walking him not the other way around. The other woman cowered in fear, letting the man literally drag her from the cell before they slammed the door closed and the automatic lock clicked.

"Sakura what are we going to do? If what she says is true we have to warn the village, we have to get out of here. They are going to start a war with no way to lose." Miszuki's voice trembled in fear as she looked into my eyes, pleading with me to find a way to save us.

"I don't know…"

* * *

_**Gaara's POV**_

"When will we be leaving woman!" I yelled at Tsunade-sama. She just ignored me, _again._

"Gaara we have to wait," Naruto put his hand on my shoulder. Surprisingly, he was the more level headed one out of all of us. Since we have been locked up, Ino, Hinata and Tsunade-sama were the only ones allowed out because they were needed at the hospital.

From what they are telling us, the village is now a ghost town. Shinobi stop by each home daily looking for more who are sick and every day, they find at least five. The second day, four people died and the numbers had been increasing since then.

Incense and candles are lit every night for the ones who have passed on.

"Tomorrow Kakashi, Naruto, Shikamaru, and you will head out and get a vaccination. Shikamaru will be equipped with medical supplies and taught tonight how to use everything. Your mission is to find Sakura and Miszuki and bring them back to Konoha. Should the situation get more complicated, Kakashi will send out his hounds for reinforcements. Wait. For. Them. You have six hours to get ready before I debrief you on your mission details and twelve hours until your sent out. Dismissed!" Tsunade-sama didn't look up from the picture of Sakura and her on the desk.

"Why now?" Kakashi asked from the window. I hadn't even realized that he was in the room. My senses were dulling.

'_**No you're just not paying attention. Sakura's in trouble and if we don't get it together it may cost us her life and the life of our unborn.'**_

"Because Sakura and Miszuki have been gone for too long. If we wait any longer we might…." She began to choke up but she cleared her throat and looked into my eyes. "We might not find them or worse. We'll find them dead. Like Sakura's death won't be enough but the baby's as well would kill me. And on top of that, Miszuki was on vacation here and her disappearance here would give Suna reason to start a war with us because one of their top and only doctors are not only missing but dead as well!"

"Tsunade-sama, I wouldn't let my village do such a think..." I started but the visions on blood and pink hair were coming again. Tsunade wasn't listening to me anyway.

'_**Don't think about it'**_

'_I'm trying'_

"Why are you still standing there Gaara? Move it or I'll take you off this mission." I was already half way down the hall by the time her statement reached my ears. There was no way in hell I wasn't going with them.

Naruto caught me in the stairwell. His face was contorting with pain and sadness as he looked up at me. "You really do love her." It wasn't a question. He knew I loved Sakura, and he didn't have a chance in hell with the one girl he'd loved all his life.

"I'm sorry," was all I could think to say. We were one of the same, suffering through life with the pain and burden we didn't deserve. We had both came from the bottom and rose up to someone people can look to. I took his love and I knew he wouldn't forgive me easily.

"It's ok. Just take care of her. I love her still and if you pull some shit like this again, I won't hesitate to take her away from you and never give you a chance to get her back." Naruto continued down the stairs and left me there, replaying his words in my mind.

'_**Dude, I don't know who he thinks he's fooling but he's not taking our Sakura. EVER.'**_

'_No, don't under estimate him. Had we not came in time, Sasuke would have-'_

'_**Shit!'**_

I raced down the stairs and barely caught Naruto before he entered the room with the others. "Wait!" He looked back at me, confused as I grabbed him and pulled him back to the stairs. Yanking out the wedding invitation and shoving it into his hands, I could feel the anger start to bubble in me just by looking at it.

"Explain that."

"What the hell is it?"

"A wedding invitation," I yelled irritably. "It says Sakura and Sasuke are getting married!"

"They aren't, don't worry you little nut," I voice came from above us. Kakashi was descending the stairs. I glared at him and the glint in his eyes told me exactly what I needed to know. The damn bastard.

"It was you who sent me that wasn't it." I knew it was him; he didn't have to say yes. I knew it was him and I was going to give him hell for doing it. He worried the fuck out of me and on top of that, gives me a hard time when I get here. I'm his superior and he was manipulating me. What the fuck!

"I had to get you here some way didn't I? I couldn't have my little girl hurting because your ass wouldn't get here any sooner." With that he walked away and into the room. I could hear the greetings through the door. Still confused, Naruto burst out laughing as out as much as his lungs would allow him.

"What are you laughing at," I pushed him into the stairwell wall and went towards the room again.

"He so owned your ass! He used you like a wet napkin! He set the cheese and you went through the maze! He-"I wrapped my sand around him form quickly before another stupid pun could leave him mouth. It didn't work. A Naruto clone popped out beside me and continued.

"He waved a bone in your face and you wagged your tail! He brought the belt and you grabbed your ass! You got owned my man!" The Naruto clone slapped my back and kept laughing, actual tears running down his face. I let go of the real Naruto and gave up, too bored to keep going with his puns or his voice. All I cared about is that it wasn't true.

'_**And you made yourself look like an ass.'**_

'_Yea I know but I can't fix that now'_

'_**Sucks for you'**_

"Kazekage-sama," Ino greeted me, coming over to grab my arm as Choji followed behind her. Each day she did the same thing. I would tell her what I found out about Sakura (Nothing) and she would tell me how many deaths there were (increased by at least 3 each day). Then I would sit in the kitchen for a good forty five minutes letting Ino cry on my shoulder and murmur about how bad things are and how worried she was and how she much she missed Sakura. Finally, Choji would take over for another hour or so until she stopped and then went back to do something girly with Hinata to distract her. Not that I have anything against Ino, but seriously, this is why she has a fiancé.

"The death toll went down!" _What?_

"How much?"

"Only nine died today! Granted it's still a lot but it's better than the seventeen that died yesterday! Can you believe it! The FFN-714 is working! We started administering it during breakfast and the only people it didn't work on were the ones too far gone! This is great!" Ino was holding Hinata to her, both jumping and squealing like six year olds. I didn't blame them, I was happy too but it still looked weird to have two grown women jumping and acting like that.

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Temari asked, not looking up from the book Shikamaru had given her yesterday.

"We're leaving, going off to find Sakura."

"What?" She shot up from her chair and came towards me with Kankuro and everyone else right behind her. Question after question was shot at me and I didn't answer any of them. Packing was a hassle with everyone following me but I managed to get it down in time to meet Tsunade-sama up stairs and back in her office.

"Ready?" She asked looking every one of us closely. We nodded and she sent us off with our scrolls.

It was time to get my Sakura back.

* * *

_**Ok everyone, that's it for now. Sorry if it's not as long as your guys are use to but I was kind a pressed for time. I love you all. Please review and I left something for you all. **_

_**Whoever can guess where or how or what the cure **__**FFN-714**__** stands for, I'll personally write you a one-short dedicated to you and with the couple you want (a couple I know please). **_

_**Happy Holidays and Be safe. **_

_**-Yuuki**_


	9. Month Seven: Part One

_**Dear Readers, Happy New Years and Happy Birthday to Me. It was Feb 11! I'm finally 17! I know I should have updated a LONG time ago but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Sorry. Well, I won't hold you long. Here's the next chapter, Enjoy! Please Review! I love to know how you're enjoying/disliking the story (although if you dislike it so much, I don't know why your still reading). By the way, I just posted my first chapter of my new Inuyasha story. Go take a look if you're a Sesshoumaru & Kagome fan! And for everyone's information, this chapter has not been edited but once it has been I replace it with the edited version. Sorry for any miss spellings, grammar errors, or anything else that might be wrong.**_

_**Love you all,**_

_**-Yuuki ^_~**_

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_**A Midsummer Dream**_

_**Chapter Nine – Month Seven: Part One – A New Kind of Training**_

_**Gaara's POV**_

_**One Week after Leaving Konoha**_

"Come on! Pick up the pace!" I screamed behind me. Naruto and Kakashi were lagging behind me by a few yards and Shikamaru wasn't even trying to keep up. I had to take his pack full of medic supplies just get him to keep within a mile behind us. The lazy ass, I bet he didn't even know how to use half of these medical supplies Hokage-sama had made him pack. Why she had sent him as our medic, I'll never know, at least, not until the opportunity to put his _'skills'_ to the test.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he came up to my right side. "We've been traveling since we left. We haven't stopped to camp. We don't even have a trail or any signs to follow where they might have gone. Now, I'm all for munching on shinobi food pills and going out all the way until we find them, but it'll do them no good if we find them, and get killed because we're out of energy. Even worse, if we waste time and final get there just to –"

"Shut up Naruto! Don't say that!"

"No! Someone has too! We have to think rational –"

"Stop it!"

"And I know I'm the last one to think rational –"

"Don't you dare say it!"

"But if we don't –"

"Naruto you –"

"THEY WILL DIE!" As soon as the words left Naruto's mouth, everything fell silent and still. Kakashi was between us. Shikamaru had somehow trapped me in his shadow jutsu. No one had said the true risk of what this mission entailed since the meeting with Tsunade in her office, but even then her words were missed by her whispered breath.

"Naruto, that's enough," Kakashi cautioned him quietly after a few moments. Naruto shook his head, shrugging off his former mentors restricting hand.

"No! No one has the ball to spill what this mission's failure really is! Gaara, we fail this, and you _child_ and Sakura will be DEAD! D-E-A-D! And so will anyone else they have captive. I know you're trying to do the right thing and make up for lost time and all that good stuff but I can't let you risk everyone's safety because of your foolishness! Gaara I –"

"I know Naruto!" I cut him off, unable to hear another word. "I know all that! Don't you think I realize all that! That for the past three weeks that they have been gone that that hasn't been the one single thought running through my mind! Over and over and over again! All I can see behind my eye lids is blood and Sakura and MY unborn child DEAD! I GET IT! So shut up and help me make sure that doesn't happen!"

Again the silence consumed us like a silent killer. It's what the shrinks would call it _"a break through"_ but I couldn't care less. I knew Naruto would have my back and Sakura's twice over but, someone needed to put things into prospective. I just didn't think it would be Naruto acting as the mature one.

It must have been a good ten minutes of silence because I felt Shikamaru's shadow release me and mumble, "How troublesome," behind me. Kakashi laughed. Naruto came over and patted my back and we took off again in the trees for another four hours. It was well past sundown when we finally set camp.

By sunrise the next day, we had scouted half of the outside perimeter of Konoha. It wasn't until we were about to rest for lunch that Shikamaru caught a trail. Footsteps scatted everything where, died blood in the forest floor, and a sink pink lock.

"She was here," Naruto whispered as he held the pink piece of hair between his fingers. We slit up into up and decided it would be best that as we traveled forward that each of us looked for clues in different areas. Shikamaru took the right shoulder in the trees, Kakashi mirroring him on the left. Naruto and I flanked them on the ground level. About a kilometer down Kakashi spotted something.

"Up here," He called as he crotched to examine a tree branch. From where we were, we saw nothing out of the ordinary. But as I got closer, I saw the splinters coming from it. The deep embedded pattern warn into the old wood were tell tale signs that chains had been wrapped about the branch.

"Well, at least we know now we're on the right trail. If we keep on this path, we should be able to catch up with them."

"I don't think so. Take a look back here," Shikamaru waved about half a mile up a towering old pine tree. We looked back and the horse tracks were spotted coming through the bushes. Either they made one person circle around to throw us off the trail or other's were joining and trading as the traveled. Like a market on wheels.

"That's not all," Shikamaru turned and pointed west towards the mountains about three days walk from our position. "I think it just got worse." Looking out, I almost lost it. Damn, what had we stumbled in to?

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_**Sakura's POV**_

_**Three Days Earlier**_

We've been in here for over two weeks now. I don't really know if its night or day, the only real indication we have on what time it is, is by the weather. It tends to be blistering hot in the cell during the daylight hours, and chilled to the bone in the night. The new heavy metal collars they put on Mizsuki and I have started to rust and eat away at the skin of our necks. I would have preferred the lighter ones we came in with. One girl has already died from infection but I'm guessing that wasn't the first time. They, whoever they are, have come to clean our cell out twice and changed us into generic paper like gowns like what we have at the hospital. At least when we are on our period, they give us huge sponges to bleed in. It's not the cleanest thing but it does the job.

Yurie is still proud and strong as the day we got in here, but her liquid eyes have slowly began to harden. It's only a matter of time before one of their tests finally breaks her. From what she tells us, they test her like they do the new requites in the army, all things physical, after they inject her with something. The track marks running down her arm are starting to form one big hole. Mrs. Kruntles disappeared two days ago, I suspect she is dead.

They test Mizsuki more roughly than the poor woman can take. Every time they even walk by the cell bars, she tenses up and shakes violently. It's even worse when they actually come and get her. My tests are even test. Mostly they check on the baby's progress, which they can never tell me anything besides _'I don't see anything'_, and then ask me to solve a mystery. Sounds weird but it's very easy. All I have to do its find out what killed the patient and then I'm done. Usually it's very easy, but lately it's been getting harder.

"Has there been movement?" Yurie whispered to me as she pulled back her fiery red hair into a tight pony tail. I shook my head and she resumed her pacing along to cell bars. Mizsuki pulled on her now bright orange hair. I gave up trying to figure out why her hair kept changing colors. Honestly, it was starting to make my waning sanity slip from my grip faster.

"You say this sand boy will not come for you. Why not? Has his spine been ripped out or shall I do it for him for leaving you and treating you in such a manner?"

"Yurie, that's not what we should be focusing on right now…"

"No!" Someone's scream echoed in agony against the hollow cell walls. The girls crowded around the cell bars as we looked to where the screaming still echoed. A woman two levels down had just given birth about an hour before everyone originally woke up. They had sat and listened in almost complete silence as the women in the cell helped her through her child's birth. When the baby's cry resounded around them, everyone gave a smile and clapped congrats to her.

The new baby was now being dragged from its mother's tight hold as she fought and cried out for her baby. The baby cried loud and hard, coughing and its voice went horse. The men were swarming in to keep the mother off of the two men in lab coats trying to get a hold of the baby. But the first rule of the jungle, never mess with a lioness's cub or the whole pride will attack.

All at once, the woman that shared the same cell as the new mother started to attack and fight their way out. Blood curling screams and the sound of bones cracking could be heard.

"Get up, it's time to work," We were all so forced on what was happening at the lower level that we didn't hear the cell door open. One last look down was all a got before I was yanked away by my collar. I struggled to get to my feet as they continued to drag me out the cell. The cold stone on my bare feet seemed to be the hard reminder that the woman's suffering below me would be my own in a matter of weeks. Only difference is, my baby won't be crying.

"Here is your first specimen for the day. You have one hour," The rough voice called behind me as I was pushed in the white training room. It was the same room I had been in every other day for these sorts of train sessions only difference this time was the wheezing new born on the operation table. The same baby that had been ripped from his mother's arms not ten minutes ago.

My knees started to shake as I shuffled over to the new born and glanced down at its small form. The baby's lips were turned a cold blue and the still bleeding pin prick at the juncture of its arm told me that this was the same as the test with the other animals that had been injected with the toxin. When they said I only had an hour, they didn't mean a time limit. They meant the baby would stop breathing and start bleeding out of every orifice making me unable to safe him. Cracking my neck, I took a pair of gloves and began to work.

~!~

I felt the glares burning into my back from the two way mirror behind me. I was winning this battle and I had only begun twenty minutes ago. I could hear the music of the hospital's normal tussle in my ears as if I was back in Konoha. Making a small incision in the baby's throat and worked a small tube down to his lungs and started pumping oxygen for him. I almost had the toxin neutralized when his throat started turning angry red and swelling up.

This had to be new reformed version on the toxin pulsing through this babe's body. The only good thing about working with the same toxin was that the base was the same. I quickly hooked the baby to a respirator so that I could make the serum to remove the poison eating away at his lungs. I remembered do the same thing to Kankuro over two years ago.

Fifteen minutes later, I was taking off my gloves as I gazed down teary eyed into the baby's now opened eyes. He reminded me of a cross between Naruto and Sasuke. The baby's black hair and bright blue eyes only made me miss home even more. Bandaging up his throat, I took out him off the respirator. His looked to me with innocent eyes teary with hunger. I smiled and wished to Kami that my milk would be enough but the truth is it wasn't. I had so much crap pumping through my veins that anything my body could give to him would probably make him sick again. Instead, I picked the boy up and held him close to my breast. I would never know this feeling. Since I got a chance to at least know what it feels like to hold someone so small without picking up a midget , I held the infant like he were my own.

A few moments later, the door buzzed. I was pretty sure it was the men coming to bring me back to my cell. They wouldn't allow this baby to live, and if they did, it wouldn't survive on his mother's milk when we weren't being fed much anyway. There were no diapers, no blankets, there was nothing. This baby wouldn't survive one way or another.

"Thank you. Oh Kami, bless you!" a feminine voice called to me and, without hesitation, ripped the now sleep baby from my arms. I looked up and saw the mother from before crying as she hugged her baby tightly to her chest. The rod attached to her neck yanked her back from the room and probably to her cell.

"Come on," Someone else came in and shoved their metal rod into my collar and began to yank me forward. I went without a word, savoring the warmth my arms still felt from the baby boy. Once outside the room, I looked down the corridor at the woman still crying over the baby in her arms.

"What's his name," I called out, trying to fight against the pull at my collar. I had to know the baby's name. If not anything else, I could let my imagination wonder and possible forget the fact that whoever he is, will live and have a future. I had to know his name.

"Daichi!" She shouted back to me with a teary smile. As my shoulders relaxed, I let the guard behind me tug me in front of him before pushing me in the right direction. I was too lost in my fantasy on how the baby would grow up that I didn't notice we were back at the cell until the door shut behind me.

"Sakura darlin'?" Yurie's voice prodded gently as she took a cautious step to me. I didn't even bother to pretend to hear her. Instead, I got down on my knees, leaned against the freezing bars of our cell, close my eyes, and let the nightmares take me.

~!~

The dark, damp room only had one spot like in the middle. A little boy was in the middle of the light. Daichi was standing in a pool of blood. His throat bleeding uncontrollable and his finger nails broken away from his fight with the invisible attacker. He gave a good struggle but he was just a tiny boy against the impossible.

I crawled over to him, my legs go within the shadow behind me. But, every time I got closer, another cut would slowly ooze to life on his small body. He was so brave, he hardly sniffled and let his tear run silent. He kept his face smiling as if the hope to get out of this was at its fullest instead of on its last leg. Finally, after what seemed like hours of torture to a little boy, the invisible killer's smile gleamed brightly through the shadow. Slow motion took over as my eyes started to deform the scene before me. Melting away, the room got brighter, letting me see that my own body had been ripped open and my blood slowly drowning me.

The killer took a rope, wrapped it around my neck and tightened it ever so slowly. He let me watch the boy change from Daichi to someone unknown. An infant with blood red hair and sea form eyes that seemed to glow. The baby's plump little cheeks grinned as his hair grew out longer as my air supply grew shorter and shorter. He turned into a she. Sand surrounded her and she disappeared. Looking up, Gaara winked at me before being the kunai down between my eyes.

~!~

Startled out of sleep, I blinked away the haze of my sleep. The nightmares were getting worse ever since they started a week ago. This time though, Daichi was involved. The cold sweat running down my body gave me the cooling relief I needed. Looking around the quiet hole in the hall, literally, I noticed almost everyone was asleep and that I had been moved from my position against the cell door to laying down against the back wall on Yurie. I could feel Miszuki's small form huddled against my own, desperate for the warmth my body was radiating.

"Go back to sleep child. You need all the rest you can get," Yurie hoarse voice commanded me. I looked up, not sure if I had truly heard her. Yurie's eyes were still closed, give the illusion of sleep but the roaming fingers through my hair told otherwise. When sleep did not claim me again, Yurie sighed tiredly and opened her eyes. She lifted my chin and looked deep into my eyes, as if reading a book or seeing the world.

"Child, the pain and loss and fear you feel now will only be now. Sleep grants us the gift to forget and escape from the horrible things we see in reality, even if only for a short time. Your dreams are troubled. I understand that they might be fearful but in all honesty, you know they aren't real. They are simply telling you what your minds state of health is. Apparently, yours is not in good shape. Rest your mind and your dreams will rest as well. You think too much, just like your mother. Save it for battle. You'll need it then." With that, she continued to stroke my hair and closed her eyes once more. I thought that by sleeping, I was resting my mind. Isn't that what sleep is? Or was it just to rest the body. Why was my mind coming up with such horrible things?

"You're doing it again," Yurie chided me as she massaged my temples. I huffed and tried to reposition my body but Miszuki's arms clutched my legs in a tight grip. There would be no moving until she woke up. I tried to close my mind and focus on something calming to clear my mind. All I got were flashes of Gaara's angered expression. His form walking away from me. Him yelling at me that night. His shouts that I was his, but all I could ask myself was _'For how long' _and _'Is this only for the baby?'_ I really had no answer for any of them but it seemed my mind did. Or was it just frightened for what could happen to the baby. Or was it replacing Gaara with a threat that yet to happen. Was our baby disappearing in a puff of sand a sign? Or was Gaara killing us both the true message?

"Stop it Sakura!" Yurie growled as she clutched my shoulder roughly. I glanced up at her and for the first time in a very long while, I was scared. Her piercing silver eyes glowing and the dark cell corner. Yurie's fire curls looked flame licked them into a tussle like river water, splashing all over the place with the grace of water yet with the force of fire. "You will rest. Clear your mind and think of nothing but one place. If you have not been seduced my slumber in thirty minutes, I'll knock you out myself."

I knew she meant business but I had never seen Yurie on edge like this. Relaxing and taking calming deep breaths, I thought of the nights before everything hit the fan. I remembered the nights I spent in Gaara's arms, just me and him, dreaming together. Corny, I know but those were the nights I felt safe and that nothing else mattered. Kami, I'm doomed.

I must have passed out because the last thing I remember was the dripping reverberation of water around the cell. When I opened my eyes, whoever, everyone sleep was now awake.

"Rise and shine wildflowers!" A synclinal voice rang out followed by a wicked laugh. Yurie helped me to my feet and tucked Miszuki and I under her arms protectively as we were ushered out our cell. Cleaning day had come finally.

"All women will follow the person ahead to the processing area. All clothes will be removed during the cleaning process. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary actions or death." The woman in charge, or so we all believed because of her rank and the fact that everyone followed her orders with no questions asked, called out over an intercom system stationed two to a level. As we huddled together and trudged down the narrow stair well spiraling the entire inside of our hideaway. We ended up going all the way down to what I looked like the first floor but probably underground.

"A Concentration camps all over again," I remembered one cellmate comment as I looked around the dark cement. Dim fire lights were our only way or seeing and again I was reminded of an old memory. The day we came to Orochimaru's lair and found Sasuke after all those years. A harsh shove took me from my mind's reminiscing.

"Everyone will take off their clothes," Someone called from in front of us. "Step in line under the shower heads above. You will go through a wet, wash, rinse, and spray cycle as you continue to walk forward. At the other side, you will be separated into two different lines. You will be shaved, clipped and given fresh dress with your new I.D. number. Pregnant women will have green dresses." It really was starting to sound like a concentration camp like in all the history books but my question was, why now? Why not do all this when we first came here?

Screams echoed from in front of us, seeming to go on forever. Nothing good would come.

Having no shame after what we had all been through, we stripped and fell into line. With Miszuki in front of me, my protruding stomach poking her in the back every once in awhile, and Yurie behind me, her hand never straying from my shoulder, we tried to stay together. It was like going through a washing machine. Burning hot water beat down on us from all around. Downing we tried to rush on through and away from the harsh spray only to get foaming soap suds blasted from random areas like some sort of car wash. Miszuki grabbed on to me, hiding her face in my neck. The hot water blistered her skin and the soap agitated the burns. Even Yurie gave way to the effects of the stinging water and curled her body around over us. If either to let her tough back handle the blunt beating or to protect us from some of the spray, I'll never know.

Finally, we reached the "rinse" cycle and the frigid cold water contrasted with our smoldering skin in a delicious sizzle. My toes were frozen solid by the time we stepped from the showering chambers and out into the sorting area. Yurie and I were separated from Miszuki, going down a dark hall and into a brightly lit room.

"What in Kami's name.." Yurie began as we looked around at pregnant and older women getting their nails trimmed short, hair chopped sloppily to the root, and, only for the pregnant women, getting injections and seals put around their navels.

"Yurie!" I grabbed for her, panic setting in as a man with a gas mask and rubber gloves grabbed my collar and heaved me back to get my nails clipped. Yurie did her best to fight back but with malnutrition settling in, she was almost easily overcome by three guards. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the deafening sounds of them beating Yurie until she fell unconsciousness. She didn't make one sound as the beat her and for that I was proud. I kept my eyes on her and what they did to her. I hadn't even notice as the vast technician moved me from station to station.

One by one, the cut Yurie's nail so low her fingers bled. They lopped off her gorgeous fiery curls until all that was left was a red outline. I felt the razors buzz across my scalp, the pink strands falling from my shoulders and on to the floor. Again, I never let my eyes leave Yurie as we both moved on, but what was next I was not prepared for.

Two women works bent her over a table and strapped her down as another man, one that looked as if he belonged in a blacksmith shop instead of here, stepped behind her. Greed eyes ran over her naked form as his unwelcomed hand came to message her bottom, and an angry growl bubbled in my throat. It was louder than I anticipated because with a snap his eyes were on mine. He grinned and licked his lips. Nasty asshole.

My eyes widened in fear for my dear friend before me and the one somewhere else, enduring the same hardship, as the blacksmith lifted a red hot poker from the fire I hadn't seen blazing behind him. The poker, however, had a symbol at the end of it. They were going to _brand_ us. I could look no more, her fate mine in a mere moment, but I did. Yurie's scream filled the air as she woke to the blistering pain stabbed into her lower middle back. It hit me that the screams from before were coming from this wickedness.

The blacksmith patted Yurie's butt. She snapped at him, baring her teeth with malicious gleam. "Be a good girl," The blacksmith's husky voice rang out to me as he stepped back to the flames to reheat the brander. The two women came to me and instead of strapping me down like Yurie, the laid me down on my back and chained my hands and feet. Giving me an apologetic looks they stood by my sides.

"Worthless excuses for women. Kunoichi my ass," I hissed and all they could do was nod in agreement. I wanted to spit at the one closest to me but even I couldn't bring my hate up to do it. The blacksmith came back, a smaller, square brander in his hand this time. My fear spiked as he turned me slightly to the right. No, he could brand me where I thought he was going to.

But he did.

I screamed out, crying in agony as he pushed the scorching mark into the side of my belly. Dry heaving, the stench of my own charred skin filled my nostrils. Dizzy and shaking, I was unchained and the roasted skin bandaged up. I barely realized them doing the hands signs and putting the seal around my stomach. Pulling an over sized green potato sack dress over my head, my 'number' stitched into the pocket on the on my right breast, they shoved my forward and into the room with the other woman waiting.

Yurie was there with Miszuki, her now blue hair cut short but not shaved like ours. But as they got up from their position on the wall, I felt something I hadn't felt in so long. It was like a kick into reality, literally. I didn't know if it was good or bad but it was _something_.

The smile on my face as tears ran down to my neck must have been shocking sight because everyone turned to stare, including Yurie and Miszuki. They continued to approach me slowly, as I ran a hand over my stomach and held it closer to me.

"Sakura," Yurie's accent rang out thickly as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"The baby kicked," I cried as I tried to hold her around my stomach. The baby kicked against Yurie's lower belly and made her yelp in surprise.

"Well don't this lad got one strong leg," She grinned and kneels down to run her fingers along my stretch marks. Mizsuki came behind me and supported my shoulders as I slowly inched down to the floor. My feet were swollen, the side my belly where the brand had been burnt in still sizzled and my back felt like an elephant had slept on it. With all this ache and pain, my smile still stretched across my face so tightly that my cheeks hurt. I just couldn't fight it.

We sat there for the longest time, just feeling on the baby's kicking and discussing names. Miszuki and everyone else started to fall asleep and it wasn't until Yurie finally lay resting on my lap that I realized I was the last one up in the huge holding cave. Something was still nagging in the back on my mind though. _Why now?_

'_**Because they are planning something. Haven't you noticed?**_

'_Noticed what?'_

'_**Besides the Daichi's mother, all the other pregnant women are just around eight months.'**_

'_And?'_

'_**And? Don't you see? They're due dates are fast approaching! It won't be long till everyone's popping!'**_

'_What about it? They didn't make a big deal over Daichi's mother going into labor. And besides, that doesn't explain why __all__ of us are being moved. There is only about forty-five percent of us pregnant. So once again, why now?'_

'_**And people say you're smart…'**_

Tunes out Sakumo's ongoing chatter, I snuggled up against my friends and tried to sleep. By the time I finally got a good doze going, the cave's back wall started to slowly move upward. The blinding first rays of sun rise peeked in. It was the first natural light any of us had seen in what seemed like months. Shielding her eyes as well, Yurie quickly awoken and tugged on Mizsuki to get up. Yurie grabbed me and helped me swiftly to my feet then did the same with a still drowsy Miszuki.

"Get up! On your feet! Pregnant ones in the cages, everyone else, stand next to a chain and wait for assistance!" The voices kept coming closer and closer and towards the mouth of the cave, Yurie said she could barely make out the women being shoved out. We all started moving uniformly together towards the mouth.

Once it was our turn to stand in the front of the line, Mizsuki was taken first. The outside was covered in dried, hard dirt. No greenery of any kind as far as the eye could see. Rising slowly, the sun was barely a quarter of the way up the horizon. A woman grabbed me and roughly ushered me to a cart already pretty packed with heavily pregnant women, all chained by the arms to the roof and collars attached to on bar of the cage. I was hooked in identically. Yurie came next, escorted and man handled by three rather large, muscular men. They heaved up and cuffed with huge, heavy iron shackles that covered her entire forearm. They chained her arms to the cart loosely, as well as her feet, before shackling two more sizeable women. Yurie nodded to me before holding her head high and looking around.

I too looked around, wondering where Mizsuki was. I finally spotted her through the crowds of bulging stomachs. She was strapped the same as all the other girls to the side of the cart in front of us. She looked to shaking, possibly crying, as she looked frantically around for us. Yurie called to her and Mizsuki almost instantly calmed down. Taking another glance around, I noticed there was about fifteen to twenty pregnant women to a cart, ten women chained at different locations surrounding the carts, and so many carts I couldn't count. We were being transported like cattle. But to where?

"Get moving ladies! Come on hustle!" The lead woman shouted out before behind us, and for a moment, everyone had no idea where to move to. But it all became clear when the cart in front of us crawled forward by the sheer strength of the women pulling/pushing it. I found Mizsuki's form again, struggling to push her side of the cart with the other women. Our cart began to moved and I tried to reach out to Yurie.

She was hunched over, using her shoulder to push against my corner of the cage forward. She looked to be doing so with great easy, as did the other two women. Their great strength and stamina came as a package deal with their size. But if you knew what signs to look for, you could see the struggle they had pushing/pulling our pregnant weight.

"Yurie, please don't do this!" I whispered to her, trying to get her to stop. This was senseless! There was no telling how long she and the others were going to be at this and already we were headed up hill. Yurie may look and act like the young and strong kunoichi she use to be, but her body wasn't the same. It would kill her, or speed up life's natural process.

"Child, if I gave up now, the others would have to pick up my slack. This cart's too heavy for slackers. Besides, if it helps you survive, as well as the youngling, I would gladly give my life. It's been a long and adventure filled journey. To die in such a horrible place, this battle's end shining in the distance, such is the life of a shinobi. The same is said for a kunoichi." Yurie was a kunoichi, first and for most. I understand her way of thinking and had I not been pregnant, I would have said the same thing.

Turning to Mizsuki, she was struggling even more but there were four others on her cart so her slack was evened out. But for how long.

Taking a turn meeting the eyes of all the pregnant women's eyes, they all read the same thing: Dead.

* * *

_**Alright everyone, the climax is slowly crawling its way here. Once again, sorry for the delay. I WILL have the next installment out in about two weeks (depending on my work load and other crap). The next chapter will probably be cut in two because I'm planning a lot of stuff to go in there. I'll have this edited soon. Check out my new story if you want! I'll see you guys too.**_

_**Love you all,**_

_**-Yuuki ^_~**_


	10. The Breaking Point

_**Dear Readers, I know last chapter was a little too much for some people's emotions. Please stay with me, the eye of the storm has just arrived and the calm sea at the end of our journey is on the horizon. These next couple of chapters will be both an action pack and emotional rollercoaster. To truly understand what I'm trying to portray, these next few chapters are necessary. This chapter will be much shorter than all the rest FOR A REASON. Trust me, you will understand at the end of the chapter after this one. Thank you for staying with me through this and enjoy this next chapter. **_

_**-Yuuki**_

_**PS- I'D LIKE TO STATE FOR THE FACT OF THE MATTER THAT I HAD THIS READY TO PUBLISH LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO AND THE ONLY REASON WHY I DIDN'T WAS 1) THE STUPID UPDATER WAS DOWN AND WOULDN'T LET ME AND 2) I went to my school compition and came back with 3rd place! Out of 50! Hell Yea!**_

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Ten – the Breaking Point: Reality has a New Wonder Woman**_

Thirteen days, and only one break for every two days. Only enough food to keep our limbs from shaking, no shelter from the harsh weather, chains that held us prisoners and its rusty melt cut into out flesh, but that was only the beginning. Seventeen dead, a newborn like Daichi being the first and still we were trekking onward to where ever it was our new confinement was to be. One woman went into lab on our fifth day of traveling and after hours of crying, blood and screaming, the babe was born. They were both killed minutes later and left on the mud road.

Mizsuki's hair did another color change, this time being a mud caked blonde. The poor girl was really trying but it wasn't enough to save her from a beating. Skin ripped from the muscles on her back, wet potato sack dress cut open from the rough whips, the woman had seen better days. Mizsuki's time was slowly ticking away before she would give up and die just like the others had.

Flashes appeared in my mind on the rainy first night. Daichi's wails of agony coupled with the crack of the whip made me flinch. It cracked again, trying to get to his tiny chest as his mother protected him. Their torturer demanded the babe be silent or he would do so himself. She tried her best but Daichi's hungry belly wouldn't allow his cries for food to stop. Lightning flashed and just as fast, the mother was dead. There was no time for mourning or to at least give her the proper burial. No, instead the cruel bringer of her death simply grabbed Daichi's mother by the hair, Daichi falling from her limp arms and rolling down to stop at Yurie's feet. She tried to grab the weeping child but her chains wouldn't allow her to bend that far. The man dragged Daichi's mother out the cage, and threw her body down the cliff we had spent all day climbing.

"Please wait! The child is still alive!" I cried out, fighting against my chains to get to him but I could do nothing more than bruise my already bleeding wrist.

"You think you can make the child quiet?" He asked, a vile grin crossing his features as he picked Daichi up by the neck and held him up to my face. Had it not been for the numerous torches lit all around the perimeter of the cages, I wouldn't have been able to see this at all. I nodded my head, leaning forward to nudge Daichi with my nose. He began to quiet down just a tad. The procession stopped to see what would happen next.

Daichi opened his huge blue eyes, pleading with me to take him into my arms and warm him up. I tried to move to him but the man yanked him away. Daichi's screeches grew loud once more.

"I had a child once," the man said softly to me as he leaned his back against mine through the cage. He cradled Daichi in the crook of his arm and locked his chocolate eyes with mine. These people act mean, but _did they really want to?_ "His name was Michi. He was so beautiful and his mother was like Mother Nature herself. Her name was Kuna. I loved them so very much. He would have grown to be a strong shinobi while Kuna and I grew old together." I listened to his tale, unsure of what to do.

"My first instinct is to throw this babe from the cliff, as was my orders… but how can I when I know this young lad was just like my own son. Keep him quiet or next time, it won't be me." The guard handed me Daichi, and walked away. He would probably receive a beating for what he did but the baby slowly falling asleep in my lap was worth it. The procession moved on wards and Daichi soon stopped fussing and gave himself up to sleep. Maybe the sleep would keep him until such a time where I could get him proper food.

"Sakura darling," Yurie groaned. I shifted over, trying not to wake Daichi as I leaned to hear her. "I will not last longer. If we are not there by this time tomorrow, mines, the girl's, and the child's will fail us. Pray to Kami that we rest in peace." I wanted to protest but I knew she spoke the truth. Yurie's once nicely curved muscles were worn down to the bone. Her cheeks sunk in, eyes dulled and actual age shown through. Fearful of what I might see, I turned my gaze to Miszuki.

She was worst.

Miszuki's now short hair was tinted bright yellow. The bags under her eyes and hallows in her cheeks were deep and bruised purple. Even in the dark, I saw her thin arms and legs quiver and attempt to give up. Out of pure determination, she kept walking forward, trying to push her side of the cage in front of us.

"I can feed him," a soft spoke voice broke my train of thought. Over in the opposite side of the cage, a woman with beautiful violet eyes called out to me again. Even with blood, mud and slim coated in it, her blonde curls still shined slightly. She called to me again. "I can feed the young lad. I had a miscarriage before we started this journey but my body still produced the milk." The woman's eyes began to glass over and a silent moment was held for the lost little one.

"I can feed him." She repeated once again.

"Ok, but how do I get him over there?" My question was answered by the other pregnant women moving around. Yurie smiled at us as we carefully made a bridge of limbs and stomachs for Daichi to simply roll down. Daichi rolled with little bumps and a gurgle before stopping in the woman's lap. Surprisingly, she used her feet to get him up and to her nipple.

"Now that's what I call women power," Yurie practically purred. "If we can work together to feed that little tike, then we can surely band in, and find a way out of this hellish void." Yurie's will to survive seemed to be renewed but her strength was not replenished that easily. Her footing still slipped. She arms hung limp as her shoulders did their work on the cage. The Amazon refused to give up until we made it to our destination.

"What's your name child?"

"Manna," she called back. Yurie nodded and we all became the 'bridge' again so Daichi could roll his way back into my waiting legs. He was slightly asleep but the healthy flush of his cheeks brought a smile to all our faces.

Watching him for hours was all we did. None of us even looked up until a little before sunset.

"No look there, if that ain't a sign, I don't know what is. It's like waking up back in Brazil." Yurie and everyone else awed at the rising sun. It blazed into the sky, spraying multiple hues of orange, gold, red, and pink. "My lord, look Sakura!" someone whispered and I tried to turn around but my arms refused me, keeping my back to the amazing sun rise.

I heard a loud thump and our cage began to slide down hill until we hit something in the road.

It was Yurie, lying face down in the mud, our wheel against her ribs.

"Yurie!" I struggled as hard as I could to get out, willing the legendary strength come to my aid. Tears welled in my eyes and Miszuki's yelled to me in the back ground. Daichi's sobbing only fueled the will for me to break free. I called my chakra, forcing it into my arms and legs. The collar shocked me neck, burning my flesh and for a moment, I thought about stopping. The procession stopped as Miszuki's yells grew frantic and the snap of a whip on my back boiled my blood into a fit of rage.

"Stop this at once or you die where you sit, the babe too!" whoever was behind me yelled out, their muffled voice angry. The whip came down on my back again but I fought harder against my restraints. The shock collar intensified. The smell of my flesh on fire made my empty stomach rebel against me but today would be the last day I suffered. I _will_ save Miszuki. I _will _save Yurie. I _will_ save Daichi_. _I _will _save my babies, and no one was going to stop me.

"Never again!" I shouted and with an almost inaudible _clunk_, I was free. I broke my wrist apart and continued on ripping the collar from my neck. Adrenaline pulsing through my veins, I felt like Wonder Woman, but I'd feel all this pain later. The women began to chant and cheer as I proceeded to tear apart the cage, Daichi cradled in the crook of my left arm. The chakra over load on my body made me feel like a thousand pounds but everything little thing on me and Daichi was healed in almost an instant.

I heard the whip behind my coming down towards my back. With speed with only I thought Sasuke had, I caught the whip before it connected with my back. "No more," a growled and kicked the cage bares out, one hitting my attacker square in the nose. I set the others free, as well as Miszuki, and after rubbing their wrist and tearing their own collars with some trouble, they all set off letting the others free.

I ran over, sitting Daichi on my knees, and checked on Yurie. I tried shaking her and rubbing her face but I got no response. "Yurie," I whispered out, tears flooding my vision as I pulled her body to me, trying to heal her as much as I could without hurt myself. I felt the small rise and fall of her chest. At least she was still alive, but just barely.

"Sakura!" I heard the voice I longed for calling out to me.

'_I've finally lost my mind haven't I?'_

'_**Not yet babe, look.'**_ Sakumo grinned, coming to life for the first real time since the collar had been put around my neck. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see an overflow of sand come my way. I shook Yurie more, smiling like a fool as something red came toward us. "The fight is on Yurie look. We are safe now. Open your eyes." At this, Yurie peeked on eyes open. She smiled and poured my ripped apart her collar with ease.

Taking a deep breath, Yurie grinned evilly before roaring to life. "You're my prey now!" she bellowed out and shot up from the ground, fighting everyone in her path at once. I grinned and Daichi began to coo in my arm, a drooling grin when a voice behind my ear sent shivers down my spine.

"I finally found you," Gaara whispered gently, his fingers crawling around my baby bump, _our _baby bump. I couldn't help the teary eye smile the spread across my lips as I looked into the foam green eyes of my love. Gaara leaned down, kissing my cracked dry lips gently before stiffening.

I opened my eyes to see him staring at Daichi in my arms.

"You had the baby…?" he half asked half panicked. I shook my head but didn't get the chance to fully answer him as the loud explosion rang out.

"Get the women out of here Gaara!" Papa Kakashi called to us as zoomed past in the trees. We both nodded and Gaara wrapped me in his arms before we took off in a sprint to help the fight.

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter coming VERY soon. Please review! **_


	11. Summer's Nightmare Turned Fairy Tale

_**Dear Readers, We are nearing the end to our story. It has been so much fun, and I've learned a lot for my future Sakura and Gaara stories. I hope you will stay with me to the end as well as for future stories. I love this couple and my readers and everything else! We got about three or four more chapters plus an Epilogue. Enjoy this next epic chapter of blood, guts, romance, and mystery and join me on my next fic featuring either Bella and Jasper Twilight or the one I am currently posting on here and Dokuga – Betrayal's Greatest Romance (Inuyasha: Sesshoumaru and Kagome)**_

_**Love you all,**_

_**-Yuuki**_

_**A Midsummer's Dream**_

_**Chapter Eleven – Coming Home to a New Tune: Summer's Nightmare Turned Fairy Tale**_

_**Sakura**_

The Ladies cheered on and on through the day as we made our way back to Konoha. Gaara's blood stained chest pressed against my cheek was like bringing back old memories. I missed him so much. Looking up at him now, I realized he truly loved me.

_He came back for me. _

_**He came back for the baby. **_

_Shut up please… Don't ruin this moment for me…._

I curled into Gaara's arms against him more. Maybe if I pushed hard enough, we could stay like this together. I didn't want him to let me go but I know after the fighting and anything else he did to try getting my dumb-ass self-back he was more tired than I am. Looking around, I tried to find Yurie and Miszuki.

I found them chatting with a few other girls happily; their battle scares and bruises glistening in the noon sun like proud badges. I tried to wiggle myself out of Gaara's iron like grip but no success prevailed.

"Why are you moving so much? Stop it, or I might drop you," Gaara bit out, look down at Daichi curled up and asleep in my arm. Funny, Daichi is on my breast asleep and curled up while I'm curled up almost asleep on Gaara's chest. Awkward doesn't begin to start how this scene is described.

"I want to walk," I whispered more to myself then him but Gaara heard it anyway.

"No. You've done enough." His eyes were cold and fixated on every little movement or whimper produced by Daichi. Then I remembered, he asked me earlier if I had had the baby, while looking at Daichi.

"Gaara," I started, trying to find my voice. He glanced in my direction and set his eyes on Daichi once more. "I want you to meet your son, Daichi. He was born last night." Gaara stopped, his gaze softening at first then hardening to ice. He set me carefully on the ground, his stare never once leaving Daichi's sleepy gaze. He swallowed hard, straightening his shoulders, and held his shaking palms out.

"May I hold him?" I smiled wanting to kiss him just once.

"You're his father. It's your right. If you didn't want to hold him, I'd have to hurt you." He laughed at that, carefully easing his fingers under the rough ragged cloth wrapped snuggly around Daichi's tiny body. He began to squirm and whimper so I helped him out. With a quick shift, I placed Daichi on Gaara's chest. He almost fell back with surprise.

I eased Gaara's big hands on the back of Daichi's head and the other under his bottom. Both hands combined were bigger than Daichi's whole body. Gaara's hold was gentle but firm, careful with any movement he might have made. Daichi whimpered still, almost beginning to cry, and I stepped in to take him back but Gaara had everything under control. Like a natural father, he rocked him gentle and cooed softly in his ear. Daichi took to it instantly, starting to calm down and fall back asleep.

"You're going to be a great father," I whispered as I tucked Gaara's fingers between Daichi's cheek and the cold metal buckle of his vest. "His mother is smiling down right, happy that her baby boy will still have the family he deserves without her." At my words, Gaara made a sudden move, dropping his hand from Daichi's neck to grab my arm. Startled, Daichi wailed out, his little lungs vibrating with hysteria from being so abruptly woken up.

"What are you talking about?" Gaara all be demanded in a shout, bouncing around trying to calm down Daichi. After a moment or two, he gave up and I took Daichi into my arms. I hadn't noticed that everyone had stopped to settle down until I turned around. Finding a shady spot under some trees and pretty much out of site from everyone else, I sat down to feed Daichi. My milk was coming in a little and whatever was stored up could be given to him.

"You didn't answer me." Gaara's voice roughly disturbed me as I tried to get Daichi to latch on to my nipple. He was being difficult and fussy.

"Daichi didn't come from me. His mother was with me when she gave birth to him. They killed her because Daichi would be quiet. I took him as my own because I felt that he deserved a chance to live. He was like my own and if I had died and you weren't there I would pray someone would take him for me until you could get there." My confession was met with silence. Ignoring him and the awkward silence, i fed Daichi.

"Sakura!" I tried to keep still and ignore Yurie calling my name. Daichi was almost back to sleep and Gaara sat in the tree above me, sulking for all I know. She came over anyway, Miszuki in tow.

"Darling, how is this young one?" She all but snatched him from my arms and played with him. They made him giggle finally and to my dismay, took him off with them, leaving me with Gaara. Alone.

"You're not his mother." It wasn't a question.

"No. Daichi did not come from me."

"You're still pregnant."

"Yes." As soon as the word formed on my lips, sand engulfed my body and in a swirl of warmth, I was in Gaara's arms. My head tucked into the crook of his neck and his hands gripping my body for his life, I felt his shudder. For a few moments, we just stayed like this with the silence whispering in our ears. A sudden pain hit my abdomen and I gasped as pain swarmed my back. Gaara's grip tightened.

"You don't know how happy I am that I didn't miss the birth of our baby," he whispered hoarsely in my ear, his lips messed to my hair. I nodded, about to cry, not only from the pain but from Gaara's words. I doubted that he still cared. But still, this just proves no matter what he'll be here for our baby.

"No you didn't, cause I think it's happening now." I barely got the words out my mouth before I felt water drip down from between my legs. I had to bite my lip to stop from screaming as pain hit my spinal cord. I wanted to be embarrassed for getting Gaara's pants wet but the pain was too much.

"Yurie! Kakashi! Help, some one!" Gaara began to panic. With ease, he lifted me from the ground and began to run. Voices blurred and pain too much like fire began to take over my body but Gaara's voice rang clear through it all.

"Hold on baby, I've got you. Hold on….Hold on…."

_**Gaara**_

"She fainted and her water just broke," Kakashi was the first to get to me, taking Sakura's limp body from my arms. I tried to wake her up but whatever pain she was in was too much for her conscience mind to handle. Running my hand over her stomach, my palm was scorched with undeniable fire. Yanking my hand back, my examined my now reddened palm.

"What's going on?" Yurie's voice rang with authority as her medic skills started to kick in. Slowly, I rolled up Sakura's rag top and a collective gasp rang out between the three of us.

"They marked her too…" a tearful voice spoke from behind me. Looking up, I saw one of the frail captive girls watching Sakura's stomach attentively. The flesh there marred with char red angry burns that glowed with the chakra infused there. She fell forward to her knees, hands shaking as she tried to place her hands near the mark.

"Several women who were also pregnant have the same mark. Daichi's mother had it. All we know is that any woman marked by this hasn't survived labor." Her heavy sobs continued and Miszuki silently ushered her away as everyone took in the new information. Why now? Why, after everything was _finally_ getting back to what could be called normal in this crazy life of theirs, did this have to happen now? One more problem after another, but would they really get out of this one?

"Gaara!" Kakashi yelled in my ear, drawing me from my musings. "I'm the fastest here but Sakura needs you with her now," He put a script in my hand and closed my fingers around it. "This will get you back into Fire Country; it transports you to one of the watch towers fifty miles outside of Konoha. The quarantine is still up but you need to get her in the village as fast as possible. You can't use your sand transporter now; it might hurt her so running is your only option. Yurie is going with you in case you are unable to get back to the village in time. Go!"

I barely had time to process everything that happened, Sakura's limp body was pushed into Yurie's arms and the Amazon stood tall, holding her body with easy. A growl of possession ripped from my throat as I felt Shukaku's claws rake down his cage.

"Stop!" Kakashi order and punched me between the shoulder blades. It hurt but it knocked the sense back to me and Shukaku quieted. "Now is not the time. Yurie will carry Sakura so you can defend against any enemy coming after you. Now shut the fuck up and get moving!"

I took off in a dead sprint, taking to the trees a moment later. I checked behind me to make sure Yurie was keeping up only to find her right beside me. Dread was written on her features and she refused to look at Sakura. I looked at my love's face and regretted.

She was paler than normal. A stinky wax like sweat clinging to her skin and her stomach's burn began to grow out from her belly button to her sides and chest.

"Look away," Yurie commanded, her teary gaze never leaving the path of tree branches in front of us. I picked up my pace and pushed myself in front of my women prepared for any and everything that might happen. Miles few past my vision and when a clearing came to view I called back to Yurie.

"Over there, we'll use the scroll. Once it's open, you jump in first. I'll follow you. Just keep moving no matter what." She nodded and as soon as my scroll flew open from my palm, Yurie was half was through. I hesitated for a moment, checking to make sure no one was following us then threw myself in.

"Watch out!" I barely had time to dodge the kunai directed at my head. Fear pumped the adrenaline through my body and poised my body to attack the man in my sight. Blood gushed from the spot I cut his throat and on to his head band.

The leaf symbol was engraved there – Konoha.

"These are watch guards! Go and I'll take care of them!" Yurie did hesitate as she kicked herself a new door through the old stone wall and ran out to the forest peeking out. Sun light filled the room and soon after my sand. I didn't want them hurt but the sand covering them would shut then up until they either passed out or died. Moments later I retracted my sand and three guards left were passed out on the floor.

Something wasn't right.

My bones shook with a chilling fear. Eyes dilated and seemed to enhance the images around me. Shukaku's laughter filled my head and I almost wanted to cry. _Not now, please not now. _

_**You need my help. I'm not doing this to be mean but to save our wife. **_

_No! She needs __me__ now not you! I won't have my baby born with you in control. _

_**I won't be. I promise. **_

Sand swirled around my feet and worked its way up my body. I felt my body shift and break into weird angles as Shukaku's true form morphed my own. Pain entered my brain as Shukaku's mind pushed mine out the way and into the same cage I trapped him into. I let him push me back as he took control.

I sudden scream echoed around us.

_**My time to play…**_

With a rush of energy, Shukaku took off into the forest; his body blowing into the wind as he morphed to sand and let the heavy winds whisked us to Yurie's distress. We found her in a battle of her own. Sakura's body was laid down and between her legs as she used a technique I never saw before to defend against the enemies surrounding her. No doubt, they probably were Konoha's shinobi but if that was the case then wouldn't they have asked questions first?

"Don't be a fool little ones. I am in no mood for your foolishness and shall you continue to push me, pay to the Kamis, for you'll be seeing them soon." Threats issued by Yurie didn't stop their advances and in a blur of electric purple, three of the enemies were gone. Yurie's arms were elbow deep with blood, her eyes glazed over in a wild, insane look.

Sakura's whimper brought us back to the present situation.

Shukaku stepped in, flooding the scene with blood soaked sand. Lightening cracked through the air and like an atomic bomb, the sand went flying. Shukaku only had an instant to react but thankful made it in time to cover and protect both Sakura and Yurie.

Sasuke dusted himself off; a bored expression masked his emotions as he took in Shukaku's form. "So, you've lost control again Gaara. Pity, I wanted to kill you personally. But then again, I want to fight at your strongest." Shukaku snarled, pushing Yurie and Sakura into the bush for some sort of protection.

"Little _boy_, do you realize **what** you have challenged on the eve? Do you not remember that it was **I** nearly killed you all those years ago? You seem to have forgotten that it was that pink haired goddess whimpering in pain behind me that saved your pitiful life." Anger burned his coal eyes as Sasuke snapped his cloak off.

"Enough! That bitch had no right to save me! I didn't need it then and I don't need it now! She is no _goddess_ just a bitch in heat! She finally gets fucked and now no one wants her again! And to prove my point, she's over there passed out just like she always is. Weak and pathetic," Sasuke spat as he drew his sword from behind him.

'_We can't waste time here. Every minute we're held up by this ass, is a moment lost for the baby…'_

'_**I know but the bastard won't let Yurie pass no matter how much distraction we give him. He's got at least two other companions out there watching us. We're trapped.'**_

Sasuke struck Shukaku's side in a flash before disappearing and reappearing above head. A flash of sand and the ex Konoha shinobi was thrown through the nearby tree. Enraged, Sasuke attacked again and so the battle began. Sasuke's quick movements kept him just out of reach but Shukaku's even quicker sand deflected Sasuke enough to momentarily stun him and give Shukaku a small opening.

"Sakura," Yurie coughed out and for a moment, mine as well as Shukaku's attention was drawn away from the battle at hand. That's all Sasuke needed to get his sword through our defenses and in the small spot between our shoulder blade. Hissing and blackness consumed me and before I could draw another breath, I was digging myself out of the pile of sand the used to be Shukaku's body.

'_Shukaku…?'_

I got no answer. What the fuck?

"Ah, so you're back. Good, the big bastard wasn't the fight I wanted." Sasuke came behind me and quickly I engulfed myself with and reappeared next to Sakura. Her body convulsed and crumbled with pain as she panted and rolled around, searching for relief that would not come to her soon.

"Don't let your guard down," was my own whisper that Sasuke was behind me. Fear once again snaked down my spine and my stupid mistake would cost me mine, Sakura's and our unborn child's life.

_Kami no…._

"Your life is mine!" Yurie's Amazonian war cry rang out and suddenly blood coated my left cheek. Daring to look at the unfolding battle behind me, Yurie purple glowing fist was lodged into Sasuke left shoulder but Sasuke's was embedded into her chest, right below her breast. Blood dripped and silence filled out ears.

Suddenly, winding black cords of a seal I didn't recognize took a hold of both their bodies. Yurie smiled and brought Sasuke's body closer to hers. Sasuke fought but the cord smoldered his skin and brought him as close as their bodies would allow. "Now," Yurie coughed blood into Sasuke's face. "Join me in hell where you belong. My time here is done, but at least I can take you with me."

Sasuke howled in agony and what could only be described as a combining jutsu, Sasuke' body melted into Yurie. Minutes ticked by and with a flash of chakra, Yurie collapsed against the tree behind her. She was still but her body still jerked with life.

"Gaara," she whispered, streams of blood coming from her eyes. "Get Sakura out of her. She won't last much long. My life is done but hers, as well as your baby's, is not." Her breathes began to come in short little gasps and I knew she was right. Instinct told me to do as told and take Sakura away before it was too late. Morals begged me not to leave the woman who helped my love all this time when I couldn't.

Gathering Sakura into my arms carefully, I sent my sand out to get Yurie. She didn't come easy. "Unhand me! Leave me here to die the death I was meant to with honor! You brat!" She yelled, kicked, and screamed but I didn't let up. She couldn't really move and I wasn't going to leave her.

Hours seemed to pass as I leapt from tree branch to branch, my legs burning as I popped another energy pill into my system every five minutes. My muscles bunched and burned as chakra rushed through my blood at an alarming rate but finally, the Konoha gates came into view. Shukaku began to rumble in his cage.

_**'What happened?'**_

_'In short, you passed out, Yurie absorbed Sasuke into her body and we are almost to Konoha..'_

**_'Hurry up slow ass!'_**

"Hang on Sakura, please," I whispered as I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. I had barely put a foot in when Tsunade bombarded me. I tried to tell her what happened but like any mother, she already knew somehow.

"She's in labor and I've got a building cleared out. The hospital is no safe zone but at least I have medical equipment available." Rushing on, she threw Yurie's body over her shoulder, patting her put with a smile. "Haven't seen you in a while old girl, still getting into trouble?" Yurie murmured a 'fuck you' but that was all.

We were rushed though the winding dirt roads of the quiet town. People began to run beside us, trying to help and offer what they could but by the time we got to the building Tsunade was talking about, Sakura's breathing had become shallow gulps of air. Tsunade gently dumped Yurie's body onto an available stretcher and turned her attention back to Sakura.

"Lay her down," Tsunade ordered as she cleared off a bed for Sakura. Doing as she told, I laid Sakura gently down on the cotton blue sheets. Snapping the latex gloves around her wrist, Tsunade came to her side and gave me a cold, serious look. "Hold her down." Not getting what she meant, I held Sakura's shoulder gentle and in the next moment Tsunade punched her green glowing hand through Sakura's sealed stomach.

A blood curdling scream deafen my ears as Sakura shot from the bed and fought against me as Tsunade's hands turned blue and the seal began to recede back to its original form.

_**Sakura**_

Jolts of electrocuting pain surged through my mind and circulated to my body. Like being held under water until that last moment your about to die, my body came to life. So much pain, I couldn't even think about anything else. Opening my eyes, Gaara held me for dear life, mom was above me.

"Sakura, I need you to stay awake. Your baby is about to be born!" She grinned, holding my stomach tightly and the pain began to dissipate slowly. Just as it became bearable, pain coursed itself up my spine again but it was different.

"Good girl," Your contractions are coming together and I need you to start pushing! Gaara," Mom growled as Gaara tried to take a peek between my legs. "Get your ass over there and hold Sakura's hands! Look down there again and I'll kick you out this room!"

Gaara held his hands out in surrender and came to stand behind my head. I was able to lean my head against his chest as he took both my hands and kissed my forehead. For that brief moment, I remembered the good times and almost felt the love we used to share. Nurses filed into the room and, under Mom's instructions, took hold of my legs and held them back to my shoulders.

Pain presented itself again, this time starting at my shoulders and working its way down to my bum. Oh it burned so badly but I tried to remain calm. Gaara winced a little and I took a look at his fingers. My chakra enhanced death grips on his hands were turning his poor finger purple. I tried to release my hold on him but like the man I knew he was, he held me tighter. "You're ok Sakura, I'm right here," He whispered to me, his lips pressed against my ear as yet another contraction raked through my body.

"Ok Sakura, time to push!" Mom went between my legs and cold liquid was poured down my opening. I had helped in many deliveries before but with the pain of everything, my mind was in a haze and I couldn't think of what would come next. Contractions started up again and mom yelled for me to push, and I did. Fire ignited my insides and my cries muted in my ears. It hurt so much. We had no medicine to give me so I could numb the pain and the pain kept getting worse.

"You're crowning!" Mom yelled excitedly and my hopes were raised. My baby was almost here. I had to do this. Take a deep breath, I cried into Gaara's shoulder and pushed with all my might. Tears streamed down my face and mixed with sweat and blood that coated Gaara and I but I didn't care. "You're almost done, one more big push baby," Mom whispered. A smile and tears greeted me when I looked down to her. My energy gone, hands and knees shaking, I pushed with all I had left and felt the wet slip of my baby finally all the way out.

Silence filled the room.

No cries were heard, my baby was silent. I looked up at Gaara, and for the first time I saw him cry. No, I couldn't look. What was wrong? Please Kami no…

"Sakura…," Mom tried to get my attention but I couldn't look. Why wasn't he or she crying! No! Someone spank him or her! Please no! "Sakura… she's gone…," I scream ripped from my throat and I finally looked at the blue baby in my mother's arms. She was beautiful – red hair, tiny body and dimples. But her skin was blue and black, charred from the pain that the stupid seal had inflicted on me. I didn't understand why it burned so much… now I do.

I sobbed on Gaara's chest, praying that by some miracle, our little girl would start crying suddenly. _'She'll live'_ I kept chanting to myself but Sakumo would have none of it.

'_**She's gone… Accept it now so that maybe you can heal from this….I'm sorry…'**_ Sakumo disappeared back into the darkness of my mind and I clung to Gaara tighter. His chest heaved with silent cries as he held me tightly, his hands clutching my shoulders for dear life. Why my baby. Why our baby girl…

"Kanai," Gaara murmured into my hair. I looked into his Jade pool irises, tears still flowing freely as he now moved me to hold on to him tighter. "Her name will be Kanai." He said this time with a firmer voice. I nodded and rested against his chest, my tears running dry as my mother came to me with a blanket wrapped bundle.

"Say goodbye," she whispered, tears unshed in her eyes. I nodded and took our would-be baby girl into my arms and held her tightly. She fit perfect in my hold, she belonged there. Gaara brushed her peach fuzz to the side and ran his calloused fingers down her soft chubby cheeks. She didn't move, didn't cry, and didn't open her eyes. I wanted to know what her eye color was but would never know. It would haunt me in my dreams not knowing but it was better this way. Not seeing her eyes gave me the push my mind needed to accept that she was dead.

Sudden pain hit my lower back. "Sakura?" Gaara questioned when he took Kanai into his arms and looked down at me. I could do nothing but try to get my mother's attention. She ran back to me and in an instant was back down between my legs.

"Sakura, something else is coming out…?" Mom looked at me confused. I didn't know what to do. My muscles were so tired that whatever it was was just sliding from my body and into my mother's waiting hands. I wet pop echoed and suddenly, cries filled the room. What?

I looked to Kanai still in Gaara's hands but she was still unmoving, lifeless.

"Sakura, you have a son..," My mother held up the beautiful baby that looked so much like Gaara it scared me. He opened his unfocused glazing green eyes and wailed out to be held. Crying, I looked at Gaara and smiled a little. We lost one and gained another.

Mother grinned and cleaned to our nameless son, tucking him tightly into a baby blue blanket and coming over to us. "You have a son Sakura… A baby boy." She sniffled and handed me the baby. He fit perfectly into my arms, just like his sister. I smiled and kissed his red messy hair. She cried more and clung to my sweat soaked shirt.

Gaara held Kanai to him one last time, kissing her forehead and passing her body to a nurse that would take her away. I loved our Kanai, our daughter, but our son needed feeding…

"May I hold him?" Gaara asked, his hands held out unsure. I nodded and passed him to Gaara. "What should we name him?" Gaara asked with a smile. "I named Kanai, you should name this little one."

"Kenchi..," I thought out loud and Gaara kissed my forehead with approval.

"So, what will we do with two sons? Daichi and Kenchi are both new and both need mother's milk… There goes my wet dream of getting to second base anytime soon." Gaara kept murmuring on about what he would do with _his sons_ but all I could do was smile and tune him out.

_I have a son. _

_I have TWO sons…._

* * *

_**And there it is my pretties. Took awhile to get it out and I'm sorry for that but I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to leave me a quick review! Next chapter will be the last! Can you believe it? We are at our end. Next will be the Epilogue I promised you guys and I hope you will continue to read my stories. Love you all and Stay safe during the summer break. I'll continue writing and you will hopefully continue reading!**_

_**-Yuuki! **_


	12. Important Author's Note

**It has recently come to my attention that I left this story open! It was COMPLETELY my fault but I did forgot to add a part of the last chapter's Authro's Note. So here it is: THERE WILL BE A PART THREE! It won't be a full blown story but more like an Epilog of sorts. It'll be about three chapters long with some decent length and dramatic action but this will not be coming out really soon because I'm in the middle of my next story already. I'm sorry to disappoint you all but you have to wait a bit longer. DON'T WORRY, I already have the next Gaara and Sakura fic up and on its way! HANG IN THERE MY PRETTIES!**

**-Yuuki!**


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